Nepal to co-host U19 Women's T20 World Cup 2027, India begin campaign in Kirtipur
India will begin their title defence at the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2027 against the West Indies in Kirtipur on January 22, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the schedule for the third edition of the tournament, to be co-hosted by Bangladesh and Nepal from January 21 to February 6.
Sixteen teams will compete in 41 matches across four venues in Chattogram, Sylhet and Kathmandu, with the final scheduled for February 6 and February 7 designated as the reserve day.
India will be aiming for a third consecutive title after winning the inaugural edition in South Africa in 2023 and retaining the trophy in Malaysia in 2025. India, led by Niki Prasad, defeated South Africa in the final of the previous edition to underline their dominance in the competition.
India have been drawn in Group A alongside Ireland, the West Indies and hosts Nepal. They will open their campaign against the West Indies at the TU International Cricket Stadium in Kirtipur before taking on Nepal on January 24 and Ireland on January 26.
Nepal will begin their campaign against Ireland on January 22, with the tournament offering the hosts an opportunity to showcase their young talent on home soil.
Group B comprises South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan and Samoa, while Australia, Bangladesh, Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) make up Group C. England, Sri Lanka, the United States of America and Scotland have been placed in Group D.
The group stage will run until January 26, after which the qualifying teams will advance to the Super Six stage. The teams will be divided into two groups, with the top two sides from each group progressing to the semi-finals.
The semi-finals will be played on February 4 at the Bir Shrestha Shahid Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Cricket Stadium in Chattogram, with February 5 set aside as the reserve day. The final will take place at the same venue on February 6, with a reserve day available on February 7.
ICC chief executive Sanjog Gupta said the tournament would provide a platform for emerging cricketers to take the next step towards elite careers and inspire young girls to pursue the sport.
“The ICC U19 World Cup is the stage that showcases the future of our sport and serves as the ultimate platform for young players to make the leap towards elite careers representing their countries,” Gupta said.
He also highlighted the choice of Bangladesh and Nepal as hosts, pointing to their passion for cricket and the opportunity to invest in the sport’s future across both countries.
ICC WOMEN’S U19 WORLD CUP FULL SCHEDULE
Group stage
Thursday, January 21
- Bangladesh vs UAE – Sylhet, Bangladesh
- Sri Lanka vs Scotland – Upper Mulpani, Nepal
- Australia vs Nigeria – Sylhet, Bangladesh
- England vs USA – Upper Mulpani, Nepal
Friday, January 22
- New Zealand vs Samoa – Chattogram, Bangladesh
- Nepal vs Ireland – TU International Cricket Stadium, Kirtipur
- South Africa vs Pakistan – Chattogram, Bangladesh
- India vs West Indies – TU International Cricket Stadium, Kirtipur
Saturday, January 23
- UAE vs Nigeria – Sylhet, Bangladesh
- USA vs Scotland – Upper Mulpani, Nepal
- Bangladesh vs Australia – Sylhet, Bangladesh
- Sri Lanka vs England – Upper Mulpani, Nepal
Sunday, January 24
- Samoa vs South Africa – Chattogram, Bangladesh
- Nepal vs India – TU International Cricket Stadium, Kirtipur
- Pakistan vs New Zealand – Chattogram, Bangladesh
- Ireland vs West Indies – TU International Cricket Stadium, Kirtipur
Monday, January 25
- Australia vs UAE – Sylhet, Bangladesh
- England vs Scotland – Upper Mulpani, Nepal
- Bangladesh vs Nigeria – Sylhet, Bangladesh
- USA vs Sri Lanka – Upper Mulpani, Nepal
Tuesday, January 26
- Pakistan vs Samoa – Chattogram, Bangladesh
- West Indies vs Nepal – TU International Cricket Stadium, Kirtipur
- New Zealand vs South Africa – Chattogram, Bangladesh
- India vs Ireland – TU International Cricket Stadium, Kirtipur
Super Six stage
Wednesday, January 27
A4 vs D4 – TU International Cricket Stadium, Kirtipur
Thursday, January 28
B4 vs C4 – Chattogram, Bangladesh
A3 vs D2 – Upper Mulpani, Nepal
D1 vs A2 – Upper Mulpani, Nepal
Friday, January 29
B3 vs C2 – Sylhet, Bangladesh
C1 vs B2 – Sylhet, Bangladesh
Saturday, January 30
B1 vs C3 – Sylhet, Bangladesh
Sunday, January 31
A2 vs D3 – Chattogram, Bangladesh
A1 vs D2 – Chattogram, Bangladesh
Monday, February 1
D1 vs A3 – Chattogram, Bangladesh
C1 vs B3 – Sylhet, Bangladesh
C3 vs B2 – Sylhet, Bangladesh
Tuesday, February 2
D3 vs A1 – Chattogram, Bangladesh
B1 vs C2 – Chattogram, Bangladesh
Knockout stage
Thursday, February 4
- Semi-final 1 – Chattogram, Bangladesh
- Semi-final 2 – Chattogram, Bangladesh
Friday, February 5
- Reserve day for semi-finals
Saturday, February 6
- Final – Chattogram, Bangladesh
Sunday, February 7
– Ends
