The ICC Board recently made the decision to move the 2024 men’s Under-19 World Cup from Sri Lanka to South Africa. This was a unanimous decision and a direct result of the ICC’s suspension of the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) due to extensive government interference in the board’s administration. As a result, the ICC Board has been temporarily controlling the annual funding until the suspension is lifted, but the daily running of cricket at all levels will not be disrupted by the suspension.
Shammi Silva, SLC president, had warned that unless the ICC was satisfied that Sri Lankan government was not interfering in the board’s working, the biennial tournament scheduled for January 2024 would be moved out of the country. There has been conflict between the SLC and the country’s sports minister Roshan Ranasinghe, with accusations of corruption and mismanagement on both sides.
South Africa has recently been a popular choice for hosting U-19 World Cup events. It hosted the inaugural edition of the Women’s U-19 World Cup in 2023 and the men’s U-19 World Cup in 2020. The 2024 edition will feature a fresh format, including the ‘Super Sixes’ segment during the second stage of the event. Nagraj Gollapudi is news editor at ESPNcricinfo.