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The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rolled out the itinerary for the much-anticipated Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2024. Slated to run from January 13th to February 4th, Sri Lanka proudly takes the helm as the host country. This marks the third occasion the island nation will be the backdrop for this eminent championship, having previously hosted in 2000 and 2006.
The 15th iteration of the U-19 World Cup promises to be a spectacle with sixteen formidable teams setting their sights on the coveted trophy. The tournament will ignite with the home team, Sri Lanka, clashing with Zimbabwe on the 13th of January. All eyes will be on the defending champions, India, as they open their campaign against the 2020 victors, Bangladesh, a day later.
Evolution in the 2024 U-19 World Cup Format
In a refreshing twist, this year's competition boasts a revamped format. The sixteen participating teams will be clustered into four groups of four. Contrasting past structures, the top three squads from each group will climb to the Super Six phase, spanning from January 22nd to 29th.
The fourth-placed contingents aren't left out either. They will each play another match against a fellow fourth-placed side to round off their World Cup journey. Following this, the Super Six stage undergoes a reshuffle, birthing two new clusters, each packed with six teams.
This realignment derives from the standings of the initial group phases. Squads will engage in two face-offs against teams from the opposing group, in alignment with their early-stage rankings. From this fierce competition, the elite two from each Super Six group will punch their ticket to the semi-finals.
As the month-long cricketing carnival culminates, the winning semi-finalists will duel for supremacy in the championship match on February 4th. This grand showdown is set for the iconic Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. Additionally, teams will have an opportunity to strategize and adapt during the warm-up matches scheduled from January 6th to 12th.
With this enticing format and a mix of emerging cricketing powerhouses, the U-19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2024 is set to be an unforgettable chapter in cricketing history.
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