India will launch their campaign to defend the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup title against the West Indies on January 22, as they aim to secure a historic third consecutive championship. The 2027 tournament will be jointly hosted by Bangladesh and Nepal from January 21 to February 6.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) released the tournament schedule on Wednesday, October 21. A total of 16 teams will compete in 41 matches across four venues in Chattogram, Sylhet and Kathmandu, which will host games at two stadiums.
India have won both previous editions of the competition. Shafali Verma captained the team to victory in South Africa in 2023, while Niki Prasad led India to the title in Malaysia in 2025.
For the upcoming edition, India have been placed in Group A alongside Ireland, the West Indies and co-hosts Nepal. India’s opening match against the West Indies is scheduled for January 22, while Ireland will face Nepal earlier that day at the TU International Cricket Stadium in Kathmandu.
Groups and Opening Matches Announced
Group B features South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan and Samoa. Australia, Bangladesh, Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will compete in Group C, while Group D includes England, Sri Lanka, the United States of America and Scotland.
The tournament will begin on January 21 with four matches scheduled across Bangladesh and Nepal. Co-hosts Bangladesh will take on the UAE at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in the morning, followed by Australia’s meeting with Nigeria at the same venue in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka will face Scotland at the Upper Mulpani International Cricket Ground in Kathmandu before England meet the United States.
The group stage will continue until January 26. Following its conclusion, the three qualifying teams from each group will advance to the Super Six phase, where they will be divided into two groups. The top two teams from each Super Six group will then progress to the semi-finals.
Cricket supporters can follow tournament developments, match results and live-score updates through Live Cricket Score.
Semi-Finals and Final Scheduled for February
The semi-finals will take place on February 4 at the Bir Shrestha Shahid Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Cricket Stadium in Chattogram. February 5 has been reserved as a contingency day.
The championship final is scheduled for February 6 at 1:30 PM local time, with February 7 designated as the reserve day.
ICC Highlights the Importance of Youth Cricket
ICC Chief Executive Sanjog Gupta described the Under-19 World Cup as an important opportunity for emerging cricketers to demonstrate their abilities and move closer to representing their countries at the highest level.
He highlighted how the competition can bring young players into the spotlight and inspire girls around the world to pursue cricket.
Gupta also explained that selecting Bangladesh and Nepal as co-hosts reflected the ICC’s commitment to developing the sport’s future. With cricket enjoying strong support in both countries and nearly 40% of their combined populations below the age of 20, he believes they are well suited to stage a major international youth tournament.
With two titles already secured, India will enter the 2027 competition aiming to extend their remarkable record. Their opening clash against the West Indies will mark the first step in their attempt to make it three consecutive Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup triumphs.
