Tuesday was Captains’ Day ahead of the tournament which bowls off this weekend in Malaysia

West Indies captain Samara Ramnath and some of the game’s future stars converged at the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur for the Captains’ Day photoshoot ahead of the 2025 U19 Women’s T20 World Cup. Escorted downtown into the Malaysian capital during a bustling Tuesday morning, skippers of the 16 teams posed with the tournament trophy, eying off the silverware they could lift on February 2.

Defending champions India and hosts Malaysia were closest to the trophy, before being flanked by the other 14 teams.

India captain Niki Prasad says the event inspires her further to claim more silverware for her country and match her compatriots’ exploits two years ago.

“Coming to the Captains’ Day and meeting the other 15 captains was a great experience, and to do it in front of the towers in Kuala Lumpur makes it extra special,” Prasad said.

“Looking at the trophy on display, I’m excited to go out with my teammates and try and defend the trophy won by Team India in 2023.”

Conversely, for tournament debutants Samoa and their captain Avetia Fetu Mapu, the experience with the other captains makes their shock qualification and their tournament debut finally feel real.

“It was a good meet-up, getting to meet the other girls was unbelievable.

“The feeling is pretty intense. Not in a bad way, but I could just feel the pressure lift a little bit.

“It (the two towers) is huge. So tall. I felt a little bit dizzy! Though the experience was good.”

It’s the only time the skippers of the respective sides will be in the one place, with the 16 teams splitting to different parts of the country for group stage action, beginning on 18 January.

The privilege of hosting the World Cup is not lost on the Malaysian captain Nur Dania Syuhada Binti Abedul Samad.

“Participating in a World Cup trophy photo shoot along with 15 countries’ captains provided me with an extraordinary experience.

“Representing Malaysia at the U19 T20 World Cup is an unparalleled opportunity for us to showcase our talent on an international stage.

“It’s also a chance to showcase the country’s cricketing future, and for the fans, it’s a moment to support their emerging stars.”

West Indies are drawn in Group A, along with India, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia. Group A action remains in the outskirts of the capital, across Bayuemas Oval and UKM Oval respectively.

Group C teams travel to Sarawak on the island of Borneo, while Group B teams head south to Johor, close to the border with Singapore.

A total of 41 matches will be played at the tournament, with the top three teams in each group progressing to two Super Six groups. Group stage points picked up against other progressing teams carry over into the second round, with the top two teams in each Super Six group moving on to the semi-finals.

(ICC)