For the first time in the competition's history, New Zealand will not send a team to the U19 Men's Cricket World Cup, held in the West Indies in 2022.
Due to be held from January 14 to February 5 next year in the Caribbean, New Zealand Cricket has opted not to send a side to compete in the tournament, citing player welfare concerns for their squad - some of whom would be under 18 years old.
NZ Cricket high performance general manager Bryan Stronach says lessons have been learned from senior international tours since the start of the pandemic, not wanting to impact such a young playing group with the impacts of such strict conditions.
"We have learned a lot through our Blackcaps and White Ferns travelling overseas, and I suppose the impact that travelling in this COVID world has had on them," Stronach tells Newshub.
"Looking at the support we've put around them to make sure we feel it's safe, and they can get through okay, and we're looking at this U19 team and making sure we can justify it with them.
"One, due to their age, and what they're doing, where they're going in this environment, and what we can do to support them."
In particular, NZ Cricket's concern revolves around not wanting to ask returning players to have to quarantine for a week on their own.
But Stronach insists MIQ alone was not the sole reason for NZ Cricket opting out of the World Cup.
"MIQ is part of it. Putting U19 - and in some cases younger - players than that, MIQ is a risk.
"It's hard on them, but it's definitely not the only case.
"We're sending them around the world. This was meant to be in the West Indies in a COVID world at the moment.
"The support that we would need to put around them for us to feel secure and safe that they were going to be fine, that's a big part of it as well.
"It's not just MIQ."
NZ Cricket has also put plans in place for over the coming summer that will see the under-19 able to play matches, in order to make up for missing out on such a key stepping stone in their fledgling careers.
"We're obviously disappointed, because it is a big part of our pathway coming through and an amazing playing experience that these athletes would be able to go to.
"We hadn't gotten to the point where we had selected that team yet, so it was more general across the board to everyone who was eligible.
"We have put in place a programme internally in New Zealand, where a lot of those players would still get some playing opportunities.
"Yes, it's not a World Cup, and, no, it's not travelling to the West Indies or somewhere else around the world, but we are working hard and we do have a programme in place, so at least they have something and we can carry that on."
In New Zealand's place, Scotland will join Group D alongside hosts West Indies, Australia and Sri Lanka.
New Zealand had previously competed in all 13 previous iterations of the U19 World Cup, dating back to 1988, with their best finish being runners-up in 1998.
The U19 Cricket World Cup has been a breeding ground for Blackcaps stars, with the likes of Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson, Martin Guptill and countless others advancing to the senior side.
