PCB halts U19 cricket tournament indefinitely citing 'unavoidable' issues

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has indefinitely postponed the National Under-19 Three-Day Championship and the U19 One-Day Cup, just as the competitions were set to begin.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the PCB cited "unavoidable circumstances" for the decision.

The move comes after the conclusion of the first day of play in the three-day format, with sources indicating that today's results will not be included in the official records.

The tournament will be rescheduled with a fresh slate.

The tournaments featured 18 regional teams from across 16 regions, competing in both three-day matches and one-dayers.

Teams were divided into three groups, with the top squads advancing to a final round of one-day and three-day matches.

Defending champions Peshawar were set to compete in the three-day event, while Karachi Whites hold the title for the U19 One-Day Cup.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan men's U19 cricket team is gearing up to compete against Afghanistan and host United Arab Emirates (UAE) in a 50-over tri-series scheduled from November 13 to 26.

The tri-series was to feature a double-league format, with Pakistan taking on the UAE in the opening match. The venue for the matches will be confirmed later.

The top two teams from the series will advance to the final on November 26.

This tri-series serves as a preparatory stage for the upcoming Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2024, providing the participating teams with a valuable opportunity to finalise their strategies and fine-tune their skills ahead of the major tournament.

The details of the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup will be announced by the ACC in due course.