ACC Men’s U16 West Zone Cup 2025 kicks off in Doha

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April 23, 2025
Cricket
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23-April-2025

ACC Men’s U16 West Zone Cup 2025 kicks off in Doha

Doha: The ACC Men’s U16 West Zone Cup 2025 began today, Wednesday, in Doha, bringing together six national teams—Qatar (host), Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, and Bahrain—for a tournament that will continue until May 5.

In a press conference held on the eve of the opening day, the Qatar Cricket Committee revealed details about the championship. The event was attended by Tushar Perera, Director of Finance and Operations at the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), Khalid Al-Suwaidi, Executive Director of the Qatar Cricket Committee and Tournament Director, and Mohammed Al-Kuwari, Assistant Tournament Director.

Al-Suwaidi welcomed the participating delegations and highlighted the significance of this tournament as the first-ever “50-over” youth cricket competition hosted by Qatar. He explained that matches in this format can last between five to seven hours, and the event serves as a stepping stone toward the upcoming U19 and senior-level continental tournaments. He also stressed Qatar’s readiness to host various levels of cricket tournaments and its ongoing coordination with both the Asian Cricket Council and the International Cricket Council to express its interest in organizing larger-scale regional and global events.

Al-Suwaidi confirmed that all logistical and technical preparations had been completed for the championship, which will be played over 13 days at two venues: the West End International Cricket Stadium and the Doha University of Science and Technology Ground. The tournament includes three rest days strategically placed between fixtures.

The championship opened with two matches: Oman faced Saudi Arabia at the Doha University of Science and Technology Ground, while Qatar played Bahrain at the West End International Stadium. On the second day, Kuwait met the UAE at the same stadium. The action continues with group-stage matchups, rest days, and a final scheduled for May 5, followed by the trophy presentation to the winning team.

Al-Suwaidi noted that ten umpires have been appointed to officiate the matches across the venues. Speaking about Qatar’s readiness, he shared that the national U16 team had undergone intensive preparation, including local training camps and several friendly matches with domestic and international teams. He expressed confidence in the players’ ability to deliver strong performances and hoped they would challenge for the title.

He concluded by confirming that the tournament winner will qualify for the next U19 championship, the details of which will be announced at a later date.