After early rounds at the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai, the final stages of the Under-21 World Cup will be held on an all-glass show court erected at the Express Avenue Mall, the largest shopping complex in southern India.

Mixed teams from eight nations will compete in the biennial event.

India have been named as fourth seeds, behind favourites Egypt, second seeds England and number three seeds France.

Home hopes are led by an Indian squad featuring Dipika Pallikal, the 20-year-old women's world number 15 from Chennai and the highest-ranked player in the event.

Pallikal, who also represented her country in last year's senior WSF World Cup, has made a major impact on the Women's Squash Association (WSA) World Tour already this year, reaching last week's final of the Tournament of Champions (TOC) in New York as the number seven seed.

Making up the squad are 17-year-old Asian Junior under 19 champion Anaka Alankamony, Ravi Dixit, Ramit Tandon and Karan Malik.

"We are the fourth seeds, but we are confident of winning a medal," said India's national coach Cyrus Poncha.

"We are delighted to initiate the inaugural Under-21 World Cup here in Chennai after re-launching the WSF World Cup last year.

"We've had great support from the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu, in addition to the WSF and the federation's president Mr Ramachandran.

"Indian squash is now firmly entrenched in the world map of squash, through administrators, tournament organisation and performance in the junior tournaments, as well as the senior Professional Squash Association (PSA) and WSA circuits," Poncha continued.

"The Indian public, who are cricket crazy, are becoming more aware of this exciting sport.

"Furthermore, Dipika's progress augurs well for Indian squash.

"Her foundation was laid at the Squash Academy.

"The Express Avenue Shopping Mall, the busiest and largest in South India, provides an ideal location for the event, increasing awareness of the sport.

"Sponsors are coming forward in droves and this is good for the development of squash in India."

Egypt is led by the two reigning world junior champions, Marwan El Shorbagy and Nour El Tayeb.

El Shorbagy, the 18-year-old world number 41 from Alexandria, reached last week's quarterfinals of the TOC in New York, becoming the first qualifier to appear in the last eight of the elite PSA World Series event for ten years.

Team mate Nour El Sherbini, a 16-year-old former world junior (under 19s) champion, made the semi-finals of the women's TOC un-seeded.

Australia team member Sarah Cardwell, the 20-year-old daughter of legendary former world number one Vicki Cardwell, has also just shown her best form to date – winning her maiden tour title this month at the Australia Day Challenge.

Charles Sharpes, a London-born 19-year-old who leads the England attack, took out the top two seeds in the first PSA World Tour ranking event of the year in France to earn the fourth tour title of his career.

"The real key is that the Under-21 World Cup establishes itself as a permanent fixture on the squash calendar – one that more countries can build into their future planning to give their players the chance to play representative squash earlier than might otherwise be possible," said England squash and racketball's head of coaching and performance, Keir Worth.

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