Get all the schedule, broadcast and team details as the world’s best young female players get their chance to shine on the global stage
All you need to know: ICC Women's U19 T20 World Cup
What is it and when does it start?
The ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup gets underway on January 18 in Malaysia. This will be the second edition of the tournament that was first held in 2023.
Just like the men's U19 World Cup, which has seen 15 editions since 1988, the ICC introduced the age-group tournament for women two years ago to give the world's top emerging players a chance to represent their countries and showcase their talent on the global stage. However, unlike the men's competition, the women's tournament is played in the T20 format.
Many of the rising stars unearthed in the first edition of the tournament have gone on to represent their countries at the senior level and some have made a big impression in the cricketing world. Titas Sadhu, who was named the player of the final in the tournament, has since become a regular member of India's pace attack. England allrounder Ryana MacDonald-Gay recently made her Test debut against South Africa and is part of the squad for the ongoing Ashes.
Meanwhile, Aussies Chloe Ainsworth, Milly Illingworth, Lucy Hamilton and Ella Hayward have become fan favourites in the WBBL, and England's Grace Scrivens captained her side, Sunrisers, to the title in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy – the domestic 50-over competition – in 2024.
India are the defending champions, while Australia made the semi-finals at the last edition.
What's the format and how will it work?
The 16 teams have been divided into four groups of four. Hosts Malaysia along with Nepal, Nigeria and Samoa will be making their first appearance at the tournament.
Group A: India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, West Indies
Group B: England, Ireland, Pakistan, USA
Group C: New Zealand, Nigeria, Samoa, South Africa
Group D: Australia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Scotland
The first stage will have each team playing the other three in their group. The top three teams from each group will then qualify for the Super 6 stage, while the bottom-place teams from each group will go into a play-off to decide the 13th to 16th standings.
The Super 6 stage, running from January 25-29, will have the teams divided into two groups and playing against those they did not face in the first stage.
The standings from the first stage carry forward to the Super 6 and total points determine which four team will advance to the semi-finals on January 31.
The final will be played on February 2.
What's Australia's schedule and how can I watch?
January 18: v Scotland, UKM YSD Oval, Selangor, 10.30am AEDT
January 20: v Bangladesh, UKM YSD Oval, Selangor, 10.30am AEDT
January 22: v Nepal, UKM YSD Oval, Selangor, 2.30pm AEDT
If qualified:
Super Sixes (January 25-29): Two groups of six, top two in each group advance to semi-finals
Finals
January 31: Semi-final 1, Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur, 10.30am AEDT
January 31: Semi-final 2, Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur, 2.30pm AEDT
February 2: Final, Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur, 2.30pm AEDT
For the full list of fixtures click here.
For fans in Australia, the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup will be shown live on Amazon's Prime Video online subscription streaming service, after the internet giant acquired the Aussie broadcast rights for all ICC events for 2024-27.
There is no free-to-air Australian broadcast of any men's or women's ICC events under the deal. You can read more about that here.
Amazon offers a 30-day free trial for new Prime members.
How's the Aussie squad shaping up?
Australia will send a squad brimming with elite senior cricket experience, including 15-year-old WBBL breakout star Caoimhe Bray.
Fourteen of the squad members have played in either the Weber WBBL, Women's National Cricket League or T20 Spring Challenge, with Queensland and Heat allrounder Lucy Hamilton to captain the side.
Australia squad: Chloe Ainsworth, Lily Bassingthwaighte, Caoimhe Bray, Ella Briscoe, Maggie Clark, Hasrat Gill, Lucy Hamilton, Amy Hunter, Sara Kennedy, Eleanor Larosa, Grace Lyons, Ines McKeon, Juliette Morton, Kate Pelle, Tegan Williamson
Leading the pace attack will be quicks Chloe Ainsworth and Hamilton, who starred for the Scorchers and Heat respectively in WBBL|10.
Ines McKeon, who opened the batting for the Stars through much of WBBL|10 and who has played 16 T20Is for France, has also been named, alongside 'keeper-bat Kate Pelle, who has played for the Sixers.
The squad includes three left-arm quicks, with Hamilton joined by South Australia and Strikers contracted Eleanor Larosa and Victorian Sara Kennedy, who has played for the Renegades
Fellow Striker Maggie Clark will feature in her second World Cup after she was the leading wicket taker in 2023 and is one of five players featuring in a second tournament alongside Larosa, Ainsworth, Pelle and Hamilton.
Former Australia leg-spinner Kristen Beams will coach the side.
Keen to find out more about the Aussie players? Check out these stories:
- Young gun Hamilton skips schoolies to stun the Stars
- No second-year blues for Scorchers weapon Ainsworth
- Teen phenom McKeon brings fearless flair to Stars' top order
- Record-setting teen Bray follows in idol Perry's footsteps
What's the preparation been like?
Australia's senior women have won every trophy or medal there is, and the U19s will be eager to claim the one piece of ICC silverware the country has never won.
To prepare for this World Cup, Australia's U19s toured Sri Lanka last April, playing in a tri-series that also featured England. They then hosted Sri Lanka and New Zealand in a tri-series in September.
Since arriving in Malaysia, Australia have won both their warm-up matches. In a one-sided affair against Malaysia, Lucy Hamilton (52 off 41) and Hasrat Gill (41 off 28) top-scored at the Aussies put on 5-161 batting first, before Eleanor Larosa (2-2) led a dominant display with the ball as the hosts were bowled out for 21.
In the second warm-up against Pakistan, Kate Pelle (41 off 38) and Grace Lyons (39 off 33) led the way in Australia's 2-137, before nine bowlers were given a chance with the ball, with Tegan Williamson and Juliette Morton taking three wickets each as Pakistan were kept to 7-66 from a shortened 16 overs.
Who are the other top contenders?
Expect defending champions India to feature prominently again. They will come in match-hardened after taking out the inaugural U19 Asia Cup - also played in Malaysia - in December.
They defeated Bangladesh in the final, while Sri Lanka and Nepal made the semi-finals.
England, runners-up in 2023, are expected to again field a strong side led by the Hampshire-contracted Abi Norgrove.
2025 ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup
Australia squad: Chloe Ainsworth, Lily Bassingthwaighte, Caoimhe Bray, Ella Briscoe, Maggie Clark, Hasrat Gill, Lucy Hamilton, Amy Hunter, Sara Kennedy, Eleanor Larosa, Grace Lyons, Ines McKeon, Juliette Morton, Kate Pelle, Tegan Williamson
Australia's Group D fixtures
January 18: v Scotland, UKM YSD Oval, Selangor, 10.30am AEDT
January 20: v Bangladesh, UKM YSD Oval, Selangor, 10.30am AEDT
January 22: v Nepal, UKM YSD Oval, Selangor, 2.30pm AEDT
Super Sixes:
January 25-29: Two groups of six, top two in each group advance to semi-finals
Finals
January 31: Semi-final 1, Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur, 10.30am AEDT
January 31: Semi-final 2, Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur, 2.30pm AEDT
February 2: Final, Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur, 2.30pm AEDT
For the full list of fixtures click here. All matches live and exclusive on Prime Video.