New Delhi, Jan 10 (IANS): With just four days to go for the start of the inaugural ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup, the excitement is mounting amongst the 16 competing teams gathered in South Africa.

The tournament is a significant leap in the development of the women's game, and the opportunity is not lost on the future stars, who have their eye on claiming their first-ever U19 Women's T20 World Cup.

"It's great to see an Under-19 Women's World Cup finally get underway. I believe it is an essential step in advancing the women's game."

"In an era of growing professionalism, it is important to see an international pathway created - one that gives emerging players a taste of what international cricket and tournament life is like," said Ireland captain Amy Hunter.

As more doors open for players due to advances spearheaded by the ICC and Member Boards from around the world, stepping stones such as an U19 Women's T20 World Cup make the leap into professional cricket less daunting.

"We consider this inaugural World Cup as a great opportunity for our girls to showcase their talent on the international stage, at a younger age. The tournament is also a good stepping stone for promoting women's cricket, not only in Sri Lanka but globally. It is a real inspiration for the younger generation," stated Sri Lanka captain Vishmi Gunaratne.

West Indies skipper Ashmini Munisar pointed out that tournaments like this allow the women's game to keep growing back home. "It is important to have this tournament because it encourages young women to keep playing, because you don't know what you can achieve. Tournaments like this also help the national side unearth new talent for the senior team."

For Bangladesh, there are added reasons to be optimistic about an U19 T20 World Cup on South African soil as they try to do the encore of what their male counterparts did in 2020.

"Our brothers were Under19 World Cup champions in 2020, and that too was in South Africa. I am not saying that we will win the Cup, but that triumph is a fantastic reference point."

"There are strong teams in this tournament, and Australia is a big name. I have a good feeling about my team, and I believe we are going to be very competitive in this World Cup," concluded Bangladesh captain Disha Biswas.