COVID-19 is not over. And the New Zealand youngsters are not ready to embrace the quarantine restrictions in the West Indies.

They will not be part of the 14th edition of the ICC U-19 World Cup that starts on January 14 in the Caribbean islands.

Scotland will be competing in the tough Group D comprising West Indies, Australia and Sri Lanka in New Zealand’s absence.

Defending champion Bangladesh is in Group A alongside England, Canada and UAE. Four-time champion India is in the same group with South Africa, Ireland and Uganda.

Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago will host the matches. The top two teams from the four groups will advance to the Super League, while the remaining ones sweat it out in the Plate group.

The warm-up matches will start from January 9. West Indies, the champion of the 2016 edition, will meet three-time winner Australia in the opener in Georgetown.