Indian Colts take on England in opening match

Defending champions India are slated to meet England on July 30 in the pipe opener of the World Under-15 Challenge, hosted by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). India is grouped along with England, West Indies and Holland in Group A while Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Zimbabwe are in group B.

Apart from the competing teams, the two conspicuous absentees from the competiton are Australia and New Zealand. The tournament is to be played on a 50 overs a side basis and under the International Cricket Council's standard rules. The Group A matches are scheduled to be played at Eton College while Group B matches will be played at Wellington College.

The opening ceremony of the tournament is scheduled to be held at Lord's on July 29 while the two semi-finals are to be played on August 5 and 8 at Chelmsford in Essex and at Hove in Sussex. The first semifinal will be played between the winners of Group A and the runners-up of Group B while the second semi-final will feature the winners of Group B and the runners-up of Group A. The final is to be held at Lord's on August 10.

India had won the previous edition of the tournament held in England in 1996 under the captaincy of Reetinder Singh Sodhi. India had last time around beaten Pakistan in the final.