Cricket fever is heading to Potchefstroom this month with the prestigious and utterly captivating 2020 u.19 ICC Cricket World Cup set to take place from 17 January to 9 February. Potchefstroom will host the cream of the crop of the world’s top sporting talent as the defending champions, India, look to retain the title they won in 2018. South Africa will want to use home conditions to their advantage and repeat their 2014 success when they were crowned world champions.
Throw in the talent of Australia, Pakistan and England and you have a range of teams that could lift the title on 9 February.
Senwes Park (renamed J.B. Marks Oval for the duration of the tournament for commercial reasons) will play host to various group matches. Other match venues in Potch are the Ibbies-, NWU- and Witrand ovals. A total of 27 games will be played in Potch, including two quarter-finals, both semi-finals and the final. In other words, the bulk of the tournament will be held in Potch, which is a massive accomplishment for North West Cricket. Other hosts cities include Kimberley, Benoni and Bloemfontein.
“It is a major privilege and opportunity for us at North West Cricket to showcase the fantastic facilities to the world. We want to promote and position ourselves as a world-class practice and training facility too,” stated North West Cricket CEO, HP Prinsloo.
According to Prinsloo, the u.19 World Cup matches will be free to the public with all the games taking place at 10:00.
“Gates are already open from 09:00 so supporters can arrive at the grounds early to watch the matches. The pitches are in a quality condition with two months preparation time; the rain has also helped to speed up the outfield,” added Prinsloo.
Sixteen teams will participate in this tournament, divided into four groups. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super League quarter-finals, while the other two teams from each group will play in plate matches to determine their overall placing.
South Africa is drawn in Group D, alongside rising powers Afghanistan, UAE and Canada. Group A will consist of India, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and the minnows, Japan. Group B will see Australia, England and West Indies battle it out with African hopefuls, Nigeria. Nigeria should be pleased that they have a bit of local knowledge, having won a qualifying tournament in Potch in 2018.
Group C will feature Pakistan, Bangladesh, Scotland and Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe could well cause an upset in this group.
The cream of the crop fixtures will undoubtedly be the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final. These matches will also be televised.
Fixtures in Potch:
Saturday, 18 January – Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe (J.B. Marks Oval), New Zealand vs Japan (NWU Oval)
Tuesday, 21 January – Bangladesh vs Scotland (Witrand Oval)
Wednesday, 22 January – South Africa vs Canada (J.B. Marks Oval), Afghanistan vs UAE (NWU Oval), Pakistan vs Zimbabwe (Witrand Oval)
Friday 24 January – Pakistan vs Bangladesh (J.B. Marks Oval), Afghanistan vs Canada (Ibbies Oval)
Saturday, 25 January – Sri Lanka vs Japan (NWU Oval), Zimbabwe vs Scotland (Witrand Oval)
Tuesday, 28 January – Group A (1) vs Group B (2) (J.B. Marks Oval)
Thursday, 30 January – Group C (1) vs Group D (2) (J.B. Marks Oval)
Tuesday, 4 February – Semi-final 1 (J.B. Marks Oval)
Thursday, 6 February – Semi-final 2 (J.B. Marks Oval)
Sunday, 9 February – Final (J.B. Marks Oval).
