KUCHING: Newly established Borneo Cricket Ground in Petra Jaya to welcome 10 of the 42 matches for the upcoming International Cricket Championship (ICC) Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup.
The preliminary round of the tournament, scheduled for Jan 18-28, will take place simultaneously in Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, and Kuching.
Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah expressed pride in Kuching’s selection as a host city, noting that the tournament venue is nearing completion thanks to quick collaboration between the Sarawak government and various agencies.
He highlighted the fact that Kuching only received the official confirmation to host the event in August last year, after SUKMA (Malaysia Games), with construction beginning shortly thereafter.
“From August until now, just five months, we’ve built the necessary facilities. Everyone knows that Kuching didn’t have the infrastructure for this event.
“We didn’t have changing rooms, media rooms, or conference rooms
“I would like to thank the dedicated team who worked relentlessly to ensure all the facilities were ready in time for the World Cup,” Abdul Karim told a press conference on ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup at Godown Amphitheatre Kuching Waterfront on Monday (Jan 6).
The tournament will see teams from around the world compete, including New Zealand, South Africa, Samoa, and Nigeria, who will play their group-stage matches in Kuching.
“As for the Super Six phase, only the top teams from each venue will qualify to play in Kuching” he added.
The final will be held in Kuala Lumpur.
Meanwhile, Abdul Karim also acknowledged the growing interest in cricket among Sarawakians, particularly among schoolchildren, and outlined plans to further develop the sport across the state.
“Cricket is still a relatively new sport here, and the fanbase is still growing, but we are committed to introducing the sport in schools to help nurture future players,” he explained.
He took the opportunity to congratulate Nur Dania Syuhada, the captain of the Malaysian women’s cricket team, who was present at the press conference.
Nur Dania, along with her team, recently made history by winning the Women’s MCA Malaysia Cricket Interstate Championship for the first time, an achievement that Abdul Karim said demonstrated the growing confidence and talent in Sarawak’s cricket community.
“Malaysia will participate in the World Cup, but unfortunately, they won’t be playing here in Kuching.
“They will compete in another venue in Kuala Lumpur. We hope and pray that Malaysia can make it to the Super Six or even go on to win the championship,” he said.
Also present was Tan Sri Imran Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afar, patron of Malaysian Cricket Association.
