WEST INDIES Under-19s will feature on the opening day of the ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup against hosts South Africa on January 19 next year at J.B. Marks Oval in the city of Potchefstroom.

The ICC, the sport’s world organising body, released the schedule on Monday for the 16-team event, which was moved from Sri Lanka, after provisionally suspending Sri Lanka Cricket on November 23 because of extensive government interference in the SLC’s administration.

The 15th edition of the global youth showpiece will be held from January 19 to February 11 next year, and five venues across South Africa will host the 41 matches over more than three weeks, with the final taking place at Willomoore Park in Benoni.

“In the past 12 months, we have seen South Africa successfully deliver two milestone events for the sport – the inaugural ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup last year, and the groundbreaking ICC Women’s T20 World Cup that immediately followed,” ICC head of events, Chris Tetley, said in a news release.