Photo © ECC

Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Uganda will fill the final two places at the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup after contesting the final of the ICC Africa/East Asia-Pacific U19 World Cup qualifier in Namibia in early October. The two sides will join the ICC's 10 Full Member countries, plus Canada, Ireland, Nepal and Scotland at the U19 CWC in Bangladesh from 15 February to 5 March next year.

PNG will face West Indies, Pakistan and Ireland (European U19 winners) in Pool D while Uganda will be in Pool B with South Africa, England and Nepal (Youth Asia cup winner). Holders Australia, who beat South Africa by seven wickets in the 2002 final in New Zealand, are in Pool A with Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Canada (winner of the Americas qualifier), and hosts Bangladesh have been grouped with India, New Zealand and Scotland (European runners-up) in Pool C.

Preparations for the U19 CWC are already underway in Bangladesh and the official launch of the tournament will take place in the capital Dhaka on 11 November 2003, between the national team's second and third One Day Internationals against England.