KUCHING: The arrival of contingents from New Zealand and South Africa at the Kuching International Airport on Thursday brought excitement as they gear up for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup.

The contingents landed at 2.30 p.m. from Kuala Lumpur and were warmly welcomed with a delightful performance of traditional Sarawak dances.

Each contingent, consisting of 15 players and several crew members, expressed their excitement about being part of the tournament.

Later in the evening, they are scheduled to attend a welcoming dinner at a leading hotel, where the Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development (MYSED), Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah is also expected to join.

The ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup will be held across four venues in Malaysia and this tournament will be a historic event for Sarawak, marking the first time the ICC has approved an international cricket event in this region.

Sarawak will co-host 10 out of the 42 matches, including Group C’s preliminary rounds featuring teams from New Zealand, South Africa, Nigeria, and Samoa.

The Super Six second round will also take place here, with top teams from Groups B and C competing.

All matches will be broadcast live to over 180 countries via Star Sports and ICC platforms, presenting Sarawak to a vast global audience.

Cricket fans are encouraged to show their full support throughout the tournament. -UKASnews