The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup (U19 CWC) gets under way in New Zealand tomorrow (Friday 15 January) with 16 teams vying for the highest honour in international youth cricket. A global audience of millions, through ESPN STAR Sports, will watch defending champion and cricketing powerhouse India take on debutants Afghanistan at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Christchurch.

The contrast between the two teams typifies the tournament's proud history of providing an opportunity for developing cricketing nations to compete in a world-class international event – as well as for introducing great young cricket talent to a worldwide audience.

The tournament has seen many Associate nations matching themselves against the big names of world cricket. On the eve of his side's appearance against India, Afghanistan captain Noor-ul-Haq Malekzai said the match was a significant moment for his team and players.

'Everybody is happy that we will be playing international cricket at an international ground, and it will be on television – so it is the greatest match of my career, I am happy and proud,' he said.

The event also sees Hong Kong qualifying for the first time, while Canada, Ireland, Papua New Guinea and USA make return appearances in the competition.

Other countries that have stepped to the U19 CWC limelight as qualifiers in past tournaments include Bermuda, Denmark, Kenya, Malaysia, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Scotland and Uganda.

Since its earliest days the tournament has been a springboard for young talent. The very first U19 CWC introduced a host of future stars including Brian Lara, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mushtaq Ahmed and Sanath Jayasuriya. It was to be a sign of things to come as the tournament has always provided the perfect opportunity for young prodigies to show their talent.

Australia (1988 and 2002), India (2000 and 2008) and Pakistan (2004 and 2006) have won the event twice each, while England won the tournament in 1998 in South Africa. Sri Lanka have hosted the event twice (2000 and 2006) and New Zealand is hosting the event for the second time this year having already done so in 2002.

Host nations haven't fared as well as one would expect, with Australia the only side to win the tournament at home. Outside of Australia, Sri Lanka (2000) is the only home side to have reached the final. In 1998, South Africa was unlucky to miss out on a spot in the final after losing to Sri Lanka during the Super League. New Zealand could only qualify for the Super Eight stage at home in 2002, despite boasting future stars such as Ross Taylor and Jesse Ryder.

In 2004, Bangladesh was beaten by New Zealand and India in group play, qualifying for the Plate competition which it won. Sri Lanka finished sixth in 2006, losing to India in group play and Australia in the quarter-final. Associate team Malaysia hosted the tournament in 2008, losing to Pakistan and New Zealand but beating Zimbabwe in Group A, then losing to Namibia and Zimbabwe in 13th-place playoffs.

Perhaps the most memorable final took place in Colombo in 2006 with Pakistan meeting rivals India. Pakistan chose to bat first in the day/night match and was bowled out for 109 with Piyush Chawla taking four for eight and Ravindra Jadeja three for 16. Pakistan's Anwar Ali Khan and Jamshed Ahmed bowled a decisive spell and India had no answers. Reduced to nine for six wickets, India rallied to 82 for seven before pacer Akhtar Ayoub picked up the final three wickets to dismiss India for just 71 and claim the victory by 38 runs.

Traditionally, sub-continent nations favour their own conditions with Pakistan winning in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and India winning their two events in Sri Lanka and Malaysia. Likewise, the European nations fare better in countries with similar conditions to their own – Australia winning at home in 1988 and in New Zealand in 2002, while England beat New Zealand in the final in South Africa in 1998.

Ireland's Eoin Morgan, who now plays for England, remains the tournament's leading run-scorer with 606 at an average of 50.50 over the two events he played in (2004, 2006). Morgan scored two hundreds and three fifties in 13 innings, with a top-score of 124 against New Zealand in 2006. India's Shikhar Dhawan holds the record for the most runs in one event, with 505 runs in just seven innings during the 2004 tournament in Bangladesh.

Australia's Moises Henriques (13 games) and Ireland's Greg Thompson (19 games) share the record for most wickets in U19 CWC matches with 27 apiece, while Bangladesh's Enamul Haque jnr holds the record for most wickets in one event, with 22 victims in 2004, including a best of five for 31 in his team's historic Plate Final triumph over Australia.

In addition to the India v Afghanistan clash, the opening round of the U19 CWC 2010 sees Zimbabwe and Canada square off at Christchurch, while South Africa meets Ireland in the picturesque mountain resort centre of Queenstown.

South Africa captain Josh Richards said his side was well prepared and focused for the game, and stunned by the amazing location of the ground. 'It's probably the most beautiful place I've ever had the privilege of playing,' Richards said of the venue. 'It's really just a beautiful place. The facilities are fantastic, the field looks amazing. The boys are really keen to play.

'The Irish we know are going to be a good outfit. We're just staying humble, looking after what we want to do as a unit, and hopefully the result will take care of itself. Cricket's a game you've got to respect, and we respect it,' Richards said.

Ireland's captain Andrew Balbirnie, meanwhile, fancies his side's chances as a giant-killer against South Africa. 'I think we can turn anyone over,' he said. 'It's a great challenge for us but we know we can overturn anyone.'

In Palmerston North, two-time winner Pakistan takes on the West Indies, who have only made the final once, but won the Plate competition in 2008. Despite being drawn in a tough group which also includes Bangladesh, West Indies medium-pacer Jason Holder believes the side can perform well.

'I'm very confident we can go on and qualify,' he said. 'We have the right balance in the side. Once the guys are confident on the day, and if we play good cricket, and stick to the basics, I think we could go through. The competition hasn't started yet and anything can happen.'