The tournament was set to be played in Sri Lanka, however the country was stripped of its hosting rights for the suspension of Sri Lanka Cricket due to government interference.

At this stage, Cricket South Africa, still needs to confirm the venues for the annual event.

As it stands, the U19 Cricket World Cup is scheduled to be played from 13 January to 4 February and with this being in the same time frame as the SA20, chances are good that the junior World Cup could be played in centres such as Bloemfontein, Kimberley, and Potchefstroom. Willowmoore Park in Benoni as well as Buffalo Park are also options to host games.

It is believed that a meeting will be taking place in Johannesburg on Wednesday to iron out the details regarding the U19 World Cup at short notice. An insider confirmed that should the tournament be played in Bloemfontein, the Mangaung Oval will be ready.

The 2020 tournament that was played in South Africa featured games in Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Potchefstroom.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport