Jamaica’s Junior Sunshine Girls will begin their quest for glory at the Netball World Youth Cup in Gibraltar on Sunday morning when they face Tonga at 3 a.m. Jamaica time.

The championship, which runs until September 28, will feature some 20 teams competing across two venues — the Tercentenary Sports Hall and the Europa Sports Park.

Following their opener against Tonga, the Junior Sunshine Girls will be back on court Monday to face Sri Lanka. They will then turn their attention to Wales on Tuesday, before closing out the preliminary round with a tough clash against England on Wednesday.

The Jamaican squad is led by captain Roxonna McLean and vice-captain Shaqwan Hamilton, with support from Jada Ricketts, Kaydeen Gordon, Nickesha Powell, Jessica Chaplain, Deandra Edwards, Fentonian Henry, Evelyn Smith, Tianna Reid, Tori Akinrinlalo, and Azara Wilmot.

Only the top two teams from each of the four pools will progress to the quarter-finals, meaning a strong start is crucial for Jamaica’s chances of advancing.