Australia will aim to match Pakistan's achievement when it launches the defence of its ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup title against traditional rival and former champion England at the Tony Ireland Stadium in Townsville on the opening day of the 16-day tournament on Saturday 11 August.

This will be one of the 10 matches from the Tony Ireland Stadium, along with two quarter-finals, two semi-finals and the final on Sunday 26 August, which will be televised live by ESPN Star Sports, ICC's global broadcast partners.

Together with Australia and England, also in action in Townsville on the opening day will be Zimbabwe and Papua New Guinea (PNG) who will face each other at Endeavour Park 1, while four Asian rivals will go head to head in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast with Sri Lanka meeting Bangladesh at the Allan Border Field and Pakistan taking on Afghanistan at the John Blanck Oval.

Australia is the most successful team in the history of the ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup, having won the title thrice – in 1988, 2002 and 2010. However, Pakistan is the only side which has won back-to-back titles when it won the top laurels in 2004 and 2006 in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, respectively.

With the ninth edition of the tournament taking place in its backyard and the fact that its previous victories came in familiar conditions at home in the inaugural edition in 1988 and New Zealand in 2002 and 2010, it will be a great opportunity for the home side to equal Pakistan's feat.

Apart from Australia, Pakistan and England (1998), India is the other side to have reached the zenith of glory at this level when Mohammad Kaif and Virat Kohli put their hands on the glittering trophy in Sri Lanka and Malaysia in 2000 and 2008, respectively.

The 16 teams have been divided into four groups with the top two teams progressing to the Super League quarter-finals while the two bottom teams from each group qualifying for the Plate Championship quarter-finals. The winners of the Super League quarter-finals will qualify for the semi-finals whereas the losing quarter-finalists will play in the Super League play-offs.

The winners of the Plate Championship quarter-finals will play in the Plate Championship semi-finals while the beaten quarter-finalists will participate in the Plate Championship play-offs.

Groups (in brackets are seedings):

  • Group A – Australia (1), England (8), Nepal (12), Ireland (13)
  • Group B – Pakistan (2), New Zealand (7), Scotland (11), Afghanistan (14)
  • Group C – West Indies (3), India (6), Zimbabwe (10), Papua New Guinea (PNG) (15)
  • Group D – Sri Lanka (4, South Africa (5), Bangladesh (9), Namibia (16)

Warm-up matches:

  • 7 Aug – South Africa v New Zealand, University of Queensland, WEP Harris Oval; Bangladesh v Scotland, University of Queensland No.2; Nepal v PNG, Sandgate-Redcliffe DCC Albury Oval; Sri Lanka v India, Wynnum-Manly DCC Bill Albury; Pakistan v England, Redlands Fred Kratzman Oval; Ireland v Afghanistan, South Brisbane DCC, Norman Greg Oval; Zimbabwe v Namibia, Sunshine Coast, Ron McMullin Oval; Australia v West Indies Sunshine Coast Kev Hackney Oval
  • 8 Aug – England v Zimbabwe, University of Queensland, WEP Harris Oval; West Indies v Namibia, University of Queensland No.2; Sri Lanka v Ireland, Sandgate-Redcliffe DCC Albury Oval; Australia v Scotland, Wynnum-Manly DCC Bill Albury Oval; India v Afghanistan, Redlands Fred Kratzman Oval; Pakistan V PNG, South Brisbane DCC; New Zealand v Nepal, Sunshine Coast, Ron McMullin Oval; South Africa v Bangladesh, Sunshine Coast Kev Hackney Oval

Tournament schedule:

First round:

  • 11 Aug – Sri Lanka v Bangladesh, Allan Border Field, Brisbane; Pakistan v Afghanistan, John Blanck Oval, Sunshine Coast; Australia v England, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville; Zimbabwe v PNG, Endeavour Park 1, Townsville
  • 12 Aug – South Africa v Bangladesh, Allan Border Field, Brisbane; New Zealand v Scotland, John Blanck Oval, Sunshine Coast; West Indies v India, Tony Ireland Stadium; England v Ireland, Endeavour Park 1, Townsville
  • 13 Aug – Sri Lanka v Namibia, Allan Border Field, Brisbane; Pakistan v Scotland, Kev Hackney Oval, Sunshine Coast; Australia v Nepal, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville; West Indies v PNG, Endeavour Park 2, Townsville
  • 14 Aug – South Africa v Namibia, Peter Burge Oval Redlands, Brisbane; New Zealand v Afghanistan, Kev Hackney Oval, Sunshine Coast; India v Zimbabwe, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville; Australia v Ireland, Endeavour Park 2, Townsville
  • 15 Aug – Sri Lanka v South Africa, Peter Burge Oval Redlands, Brisbane; Scotland v Afghanistan, John Blanck Oval, Sunshine Coast; Nepal v Ireland, Endeavour Park 1, Townsville
  • 16 Aug – Bangladesh v Namibia, Peter Burge Oval Redlands, Brisbane; Pakistan v New Zealand, John Blanck Oval, Sunshine Coast; England v Nepal, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville; India v PNG, Endeavour Park 1, Townsville; West Indies v Zimbabwe, Endeavour Park 2, Townsville

Plate Championship:

  • 19 Aug – PQF 3 (B3 v C4), Allan Border Field, Brisbane; PQF 2 (C3 v B4), Peter Burge Oval Redlands, Brisbane
  • 20 Aug – PQF 1 (D3 v A4), Peter Burge Oval Redlands, Brisbane; PQF 4 (A3 v D4), WEP Harris Oval UQ, Brisbane
  • 21 Aug – P Semi 2 (WPQF 2 v WPQF 3), Allan Border Field, Brisbane; PPO Semi 1 (LPQF 1 v LPQF 4), Peter Burge Oval Redlands, Brisbane; PPO Semi 2 (LPQF 2 v LPQF 3), WEP Harris Oval UQ, Brisbane
  • 22 Aug – P Semi 1 (WPQF 1v WPQF 4), Allan Border Field, Brisbane
  • 23 Aug – PPO Semi W final (13/14) (WPPO Semi 1 v WPPO Semi 2), Peter Burge Oval Redlands, Brisbane; PPO Semi L Final (15/16) (LPPO Semi 1 v LPPO Semi 2), WEP Harris Oval UQ, Brisbane
  • 24 Aug – Plate Final (9/10), Allan Border Field, Brisbane; P Semi L Final (11/12) LP Semi 1 v LP Semi 2, WEP Harris Oval UQ, Brisbane
  • 25 Aug – Reserve day

Super League:

  • 19 Aug – SLQF 4 (D1 v A2), Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville; SLQF 1 (A1 v D2), Endeavour Park 2, Townsville
  • 20 Aug – SLQF 2 (B1 v C2), Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville; SLQF 3 (C1 v B2), Endeavour Park 1, Townsville
  • 21 Aug – SL Semi 1 (WSLQF 1 v WSLQF 4), Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville; SLPO Semi 1 (LSLQF 1 v LSLQF 4), Endeavour Park 2, Townsville
  • 22 Aug – SLPO Semi 2 (LSLQF 2 v LSLQF 3), Endeavour Park 1, Townsville
  • 23 Aug – SL Semi 2 (WQF 2 v WQF 3), Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
  • 24 Aug – SLPO Semi W Final (5/6) (WSLPOS 1 v WSLPOS 2), Endeavour Park 1, Townsville; SLPO Semi L Final (7/8) (LSLPOS 1 v LSLPOS 2) (7/8), Endeavour Park 2, Townsville
  • 25 Aug – SL Semi L Final (3/4) (LSL Semi 1 v LSL Semi 2), Endeavour Park 1, Townsville
  • 26 Aug – Super League Final (1/2)
  • 27 Aug – Reserve day