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A total of 16 teams including all nine Test-playing nations have confirmed their participation to play the 3rd Youth World Cup under-19 tournament to be hosted by Sri Lanka early next year. It was only last year that the ICC gave the green light for Sri Lanka to host the tournament.

However, the number of participating countries could well be 20 as the world governing body - the International Cricket Council (ICC) has inquired about the possibility of having more teams in order to popularise the game globally. Sri Lanka has replied positively but have requested them to limit it to 20 of the best teams.

The United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) which hosted the under-19 World Cup last year has come forward to support Sri Lanka on it's maiden attempt in hosting a Youth World Cup tournament. Ian Smith, the Tournament Director of the last under-19 World Cup tournament and the current Finance Director of the South African Cricket Board (UCBSA) was in Colombo on a short tour to give technical advise to local cricket officials on their successful conducting of the last under-19 World Cup tournament.

Smith said the under-19 Youth World Cup tournament is breeding ground for future national players. ``You now have four of the top players who played at the last u-19 World Cup in the national pool. Likewise each team will have around four under-19 World Cup players in their national teams within the next two years,'' he said stressing on the importance of this Youth Tournament.

He said Sri Lanka was one of the best teams which played in the last u-19 World Cup tournament in South Africa. ``They were such a good team, but unfortunately lost to New Zealand,'' he said. England are the defending champions.

The month-long tournament is bound to attract many tourists as well. With a view of giving an opportunity to cricket fans outside Colombo as well as taking the visiting teams to provinces, the matches have been organised in other provincial cities as well. Besides Colombo, Galle, Matara, Kandy, Kurunegala and Radella have been picked as venues for the next Youth World Cup matches. Colombo's Premadasa International Stadium is earmarked to host the final, which could well be a day-night game.

The tournament itinerary will be finalised soon once the ICC pick the final 20 teams and inform the hosts. The tournament will commence in the first week of January, next year. The matches are expected to be conducted on a semi-league basis with the Group leaders and the runners-up moving to the final round. But the tournament format is yet to be finalised.