New Delhi: Former Australia women’s wicketkeeper-batter Julia Price said the U19 Women’s T20 World Cup is a game-changer for women’s cricket, adding that it is a beneficial event to see the emergence of future superstars of the game.
Sixteen teams will take part in the 41-match event spanning over 15 days of competition from January 18 to February 2. On the opening day of the tournament, England will take on Ireland in Johor, and Pakistan are set to go up against the USA in Group B.
Samoa will face Nigeria, while New Zealand goes up against South Africa in the Group C clashes at Sarawak. In Group D, Australia will face Scotland and Bangladesh take on Nepal at UKM YSD Oval in Selangor.
“The U19 Women’s T20 World Cup is a game-changer for women’s cricket—a valuable learning ground for players and a chance for us to witness the best of the next generation. The first edition in South Africa was a fantastic start, and I’m sure we’ll see more thrilling cricket in Malaysia. I’m excited to join the commentary team and be part of the action,” said Julia in an ICC statement on Thursday.
India enter the competition as defending champions, after emerging victorious in the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2023 in South Africa. “It’s great to return as a commentator for the U19 Women’s T20 World Cup, alongside familiar faces from the last edition.”
“I had a wonderful experience in South Africa and expect another exciting tournament in Malaysia. My advice to the players is to seize every opportunity—this is a perfect platform to experience international cricket and grow as they progress in their careers,” added former Pakistan cricketer Marina Iqbal.
In India, JioStar will show every match live via their digital platforms, with the semi-finals and final to be shown on the Star Sports 2 linear TV channels. ICC added that starting from the Super 6 stage, it will be marking the debut of iHawk, a cutting-edge lightweight ball-tracking system.
It will see them utilise body-mounted mini cameras on umpires along with other high-frame-rate cameras to generate ball-tracking data, which will be visualised live on-air to enhance the viewer experience. This technology is being used to enhance the broadcast production and will not form part of any umpire decision-making processes.
“I’m thrilled to commentate at the second edition of the U19 Women’s T20 World Cup, a stage to unearth and showcase the best young talent from around the world. This is a unique opportunity to introduce future stars to global audiences.
“I have seen the landscape change very rapidly for the women’s game in the last few years, and I am excited for this edition. I wish all the players the very best and hope they enjoy every moment on the field. This is your time!” concluded former West Indies cricketer Stacy-Ann King.
(IANS)
