The Diego Martin Sporting Complex will host four matches when the West Indies Under-19 team launches its 2022 ICC Under-19 World Cup bid.
The Caribbean team will clash against three-time champions Australia, after being installed in a group alongside Sri Lanka and Scotland.
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley officially opened the sporting facility on March 24, 2019. The Prime Minister in his feature address called on parents and guardians to regard the facility, located at Corner Savannah Terrace #1 and Diego Martin Main Road, as one built for the benefit of their children and grandchildren.
The Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, San Fernando, the famous Queen's Park Cricket Club are the other venues in T&T that will host matches.
The 48-match itinerary, announced Wednesday by the International Cricket Council, sees 2016 champions West Indies in the curtain-raiser on January 14 at the Guyana National Stadium – one of ten host venues across four countries for the tournament which runs until February 5.
Sixteen teams will compete in four groups also spread across venues in Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda and St Kitts and Nevis.
Sixteen warm-up matches will be contested from January 9-12 in St Kitts and Nevis and Guyana, while Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua will host one semi-final on February 2, with the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, also in Antigua, staging the other semi-final on February 1 and the final four days later.
“CWI is looking forward to hosting this important global U-19 cricket event, which is just around the corner, in January,” said Cricket West Indies president, Ricky Skerritt.
“In partnership with host territorial boards, cricket clubs, and Ministries of Sports, we have been hard at work preparing for this event over the past several months.
“However, amid so many COVID-related challenges, it has not been easy to finalise the venues and to work out all the related logistics.”
He continued: “At the same time, our U19 head coach, Floyd Reifer, and his coaching staff have been busy preparing our team for competition, using innovative methods to keep them active even while they were restricted from travel.
“West Indies has a proud Under-19 cricket history, with several bright talents blossoming into international stars over the years. We, therefore, expect our current team of under-19 players to do us proud in the 2022 tournament.
“I am also confident that our visitors will experience the best of our world-famous Caribbean culture and hospitality in Antigua & Barbuda, Guyana, St. Kitts & Nevis, and Trinidad & Tobago.”
Reigning champions Bangladesh has been installed in Group A with England, Canada and the United Arab Emirates while traditional powerhouses India is alongside Ireland, South Africa and Uganda in Group B.
Afghanistan, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea and Zimbabwe comprise Group C.
The Plate stage of the tournament will be played in Trinidad and Tobago from January 25-31, with the second round Super League set for Antigua and Barbuda from January 26.
Warner Park and Conaree in St Kitts, along with the Brian Lara Stadium, Queen’s Park Oval and the Diego Martin Sporting Complex in Trinidad, will also stage tournament games.
Sandy Point in St Kitts and Everest in Guyana will host warm-up matches only.
ICC’s head of events, Chris Tetley, said there was great anticipation surrounding the tournament.
“So many of the best players have competed at the U-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup including Virat Kohli, Babar Azam, Joe Root and Shimron Hetmyer and we are looking forward to the 2022 edition to see who emerges as the future stars,” he said.
“We are delighted that the West Indies will be hosting this event and we wish all the teams the very best in their preparations for the tournament and to Cricket West Indies in organising the event.”
The tournament is the first-ever ICC Under-19 being staged in the Caribbean.
ITINERARY ICC 2022 Under-19 World Cup
SCHEDULE
January 14:
West Indies v Australia – Guyana National Stadium
Sri Lanka v Scotland – Everest Cricket Club
January 15:
Canada v UAE – Conaree Cricket Centre
India v South Africa – Guyana National Stadium
Ireland v Uganda – Everest Cricket Club
Pakistan v PNG – Queens Park Oval
January 16:
Bangladesh v England – Warner Park Cricket Stadium
Afghanistan v Zimbabwe – Diego Martin Sporting Complex
January 17:
West Indies v Scotland – Warner Park Cricket Stadium
Australia v Sri Lanka – Conaree Cricket Centre
January 18:
England v Canada – Warner Park Cricket Stadium
South Africa v Uganda – Queen's Park Oval
Afghanistan v PNG – Diego Martin Sporting Complex
January 19:
Australia v Scotland – Conaree Cricket Centre
India v Ireland – Brian Lara Cricket Academy
January 20:
England v UAE – Warner Park Cricket Stadium
Bangladesh v Canada – Conaree Cricket Centre
Pakistan v Afghanistan – Brian Lara Cricket Academy
Zimbabwe v PNG – Diego Martin Sporting Complexo
January 21:
West Indies v Sri Lanka – Conaree Cricket Centre
South Africa v Ireland – Brian Lara Cricket Academy
January 22:
Bangladesh v UAE – Warner Park Cricket Stadium
India v Uganda – Brian Lara Cricket Academy
Pakistan v Zimbabwe – Queen's Park Oval
Jan. 25 to Feb. 4:
Plate and Super League – Vivian Richards Cricket Ground,
Coolidge Cricket Ground, Brian Lara, Stadium, Queen's Park Oval,
Diego Martin Sporting Complex
February 1:
1st Semi-Final – Vivian Richards Cricket Ground
February 2:
2nd Semi-Final – Coolidge Cricket Ground
February 5:
Final – Vivian Richards Cricket Ground