Bangladesh and Nepal to host Women's Under-19 T20 World Cup

India will begin their bid for a third consecutive ICC Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup title against the West Indies on January 22, with the 2027 edition set to be co-hosted by Bangladesh and Nepal from January 21 to February 6.

The International Cricket Council announced the schedule for the tournament on Wednesday (October 21). There will be 41 matches between 16 teams at four venues in Kathmandu, Sylhet, and Chattogram (two stadiums).

India, who have won both previous editions of the tournament - South Africa 2023 (led by Shafali Verma) and Malaysia 2025 (led by Niki Prasad) - are placed in Group A alongside Ireland, West Indies and co-hosts Nepal. Ireland will take on Nepal earlier on January 22 at the TU International Cricket Stadium in Kathmandu.

Group B comprises South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan and Samoa, while Australia, Bangladesh, Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) form Group C. Group D consists of England, Sri Lanka, Scotland, and the United States of America (USA).

On January 21, the tournament will begin with four matches. The other hosts, Bangladesh, will face UAE in the morning at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium (SICS), followed by Australia taking on Nigeria at the same venue in the afternoon. In Kathmandu, Sri Lanka will play Scotland at Upper Mulpani International Cricket Ground, before England meet USA.

The group stage will run until January 26, after which three qualifying teams from each group will progress to the Super Six stage. The teams will be split into two groups, with the top two from each group advancing to the semi-finals.

The semi-finals are scheduled for February 4 at the Chattogram-based Bir Shrestha Shahid Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Cricket Stadium, with February 5 designated as a reserve day. The final will be held on February 6 at 1:30 p.m. local time, with the reserve day of February 7 remaining.

Sanjog Gupta, CEO of the International Cricket Council, stated that the tournament would offer young players a chance to establish themselves on the international stage. "The ICC U19 World Cup serves as the ultimate platform for young players to make the leap toward elite careers representing their countries and is the stage that showcases the future of our sport.

"These future stars representing 16 teams will garner the world's attention and become relatable role models for many young girls playing the sport, serving inspiration for their continued cricket journeys.

"The choice of our hosts - Bangladesh and Nepal - is also reflective of the ICC's belief and investment in the future of the cricket ecosystem. With deep passion for cricket and nearly 40% of the two countries' populations below the age of 20, they serve as the ideal hosts for one of the world's biggest youth sporting events," Gupta said.