U19 Asia Cup begins today

LAHORE: The highly-anticipated ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup starts on Friday (today), with Pakistan beginning their campaign the following day.

The eight-team, 50-over tournament will see Group A matches played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium (DICS), while Group B games are set for the Sharjah Cricket Stadium (SCS).

Pakistan are placed in Group A alongside India, Japan, and the UAE. Group B consists of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The tournament’s semi-finals will take place on 6 December, leading up to the final at DICS on 8 December.

Pakistan’s first match is against arch-rivals India on 30 November at DICS. They will then face the UAE on 2 December and Japan on 4 December, both at the same venue. Led by Saad Baig, Pakistan’s 15-member squad includes four players with prior experience in the U19 Asia Cup: Mohammad Riazullah, Saad Baig, Shahzaib Khan, and Tayyab Arif. These players participated in the previous edition held in December 2023, also in the UAE.

Pakistan’s preparations for the tournament included a three-week stint in Dubai, featuring a U19 tri-series against Afghanistan and the UAE. Batting: Shahzaib Khan (330 runs, 1 century, 3 half-centuries) and Usman Khan (314 runs, 1 century, 3 half-centuries) were among the top three batters.

Bowling: Abdul Subhan and Ali Raza claimed nine wickets each, ranking among the tournament’s leading bowlers. Skipper Saad Baig shared his optimism: “We’ve had a productive build-up to the Asia Cup during our time in Dubai.

The tri-series gave us valuable insights into the conditions. The team is motivated, and the coaching staff has been pivotal in ensuring we’re ready for the challenge.

“This tournament presents a fantastic opportunity for every player to shine. While we respect our opponents, our focus remains on executing our plans and maintaining consistency throughout.”

Pakistan U19 squad for ACC Asia Cup: Saad Baig (captain, wicket-keeper) (Karachi), Abdul Subhan (Abbottabad), Ahmed Hussain (Peshawar), Ali Raza (Sialkot), Faham-ul-Haq (Lahore), Farhan Yousuf (Lahore), Haroon Arshad (Karachi), Mohammad Ahmed (Lahore), Mohammad Huzaifa (Bahawalpur), Mohammad Riazullah (Abbottabad), Naveed Ahmed Khan (Karachi), Shahzaib Khan (Abbottabad), Tayyab Arif (Sialkot), Umar Zaib (Abbottabad) and Usman Khan (FATA)

Non-travelling reserves: Rizwanullah (Karachi) and Yahya bin Abdul Rehman (Lahore) Player support staff: Ghulam Ali (head coach-cum-manager), Agha Sabir Ali (assistant/fielding coach), Muhammad Aleem Bajwa (physio), Muhammad Talha (analyst), Rehan Riaz (bowling coach), Saboor Ahmed (strength & conditioning coach) and Syed Nazir Ahmed (media and digital manager).