Pakistan U19 Archives

Pakistan crush UAE to qualify for U19 tri-series final

DUBAI: A combined team effort helped Pakistan to thump the United Arab Emirates (UAE) U19 by a huge margin of 191 runs in the fifth match of the U19 tri-series tournament at the ICC Cricket Academy Ground in Dubai on Friday.

The win also confirms Pakistan’s place in the final, scheduled against Afghanistan U19 on Tuesday, 26 November at the same venue. The match will begin at 09:30 AM local time.

This was Pakistan’s second successive win over UAE in the tournament, after beating them by 10 wickets in the opening match.

The Saad Baig-led side also defeated Afghanistan in their previous encounter by 13 runs but faced a defeat against Afghanistan earlier in the tournament.

After opting to bat first, Pakistan U19 scored 314 for five in 50 overs – their best score in the series.

The left-handed opening pair of Shahzaib Khan and Usman Khan continued their fine form, knitting a 96-run partnership for the first wicket.

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Usman (50) and Shahzaib (71) made fluent half-centuries. Following the duo’s departure, Farhan Yousaf (63) and Haroon Arshad (54) added 75 runs for the fourth wicket. Faham-ul-Haq chipped in with 37 off 48 balls, which included one four and two sixes.

For UAE, Noorullah Ayubi and Uddish Suri bagged two wickets apiece.

In turn, UAE were beset by a top-order collapse as they were reduced to 52 for five in 16 overs.

At that stage, Ayaan Misbah (17) and Suri (32*) added a 21-run partnership for the sixth wicket before Misbah got out to Umar Zaib in the 26th over.

UAE were eventually dismissed for 123 in the 37th over. Naveed Ahmed Khan led the bowling attack of Pakistan U19 with three wickets, while Umar ended up with figures of four for 51.

The last group match of the U19 tri-series will be played between Afghanistan and UAE on Sunday, 24 November.

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Usman Khan’s century in vain as Afghanistan U19 crush Pakistan

DUBAI: Usman Khan waged a lone war with his century however Pakistan fell 100 runs short against Afghanistan U19 chasing a target of 307 target in the second match of the U19 tri-series here at the ICC Academy in Dubai on Friday.

While batting first, Afghanistan’s Faisal Shinozada played a dominant knock of 123 runs from 113 balls with the help of six boundaries and seven sixes.

Shinozada knitted a 113-run second-wicket partnership with Mahboob Khan, who scored 54 runs from 84 balls with five boundaries, as they helped Afghanistan U19 post a massive 306-8 in the allotted 50 overs.

For Pakistan, left-arm pacer Mohammad Ahmed picked up five wickets, including the prized scalp of Faisal Shinozada, returning with the bowling figures of 5-53.

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In response, opening batter Usman Khan stayed on the crease for 133 balls hitting eight fours to score 102 runs, while wickets kept falling on the other end.

No other Pakistan batters could pose any threat to Afghanistan with captain Saad Baig being the other notable scorer with 36 runs.

Naseer Khan Maroofkhil was the pick of the bowlers for Afghanistan with the figures of 4-22 as Pakistan were bowled out for 206 in 46.3 overs. Meanwhile, Uzairullah, Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar and Nooristani Omarzai grabbed two wickets each.

Pakistan will now face Afghanistan in the fourth match of the U19 tri-series on Wednesday, 20 November. The first ball of the match will be bowled at 10.30am PKT.

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Pakistan U19 squad announced for Asia Cup 2024

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday confirmed the squad for the 50-over tri-series and ACC U19 Asia Cup 2024-25 set to take place in UAE from 13 November to 8 December.

Saad Baig, who led the Pakistan U19 team in the last edition of the ACC U19 Asia Cup and ICC U19 World Cup 2024, has been appointed the captain of the 15-player squad which will be trimmed to 14 for the Asia Cup beginning 29 November.

Six players including Saad, Ali Raza, Haroon Arshad, Mohammad Riazullah, Naveed Ahmed Khan, and Shahzaib Khan represented Pakistan at the ICC U19 World Cup 2024 in South Africa while Tayyab Arif is the other player to have played for the Pakistan U19.

The Men’s National Selection Committee held trials and selection matches to assemble the 15-member squad out of a 120-player contingent recommended by the 16 regions based on the performances in the Inter-District U19 tournament and the month-long Regional U19 Academies held in August this year.

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Saad Baig-led team will depart for UAE on 9 November from Lahore to feature in a 50-over tri-series, where they will take on hosts UAE in the opening match on 13 November.

The tournament will be played in a double league format with the final between the top two sides slated on 26 November.

In the 50-over U19 Asia Cup, Pakistan U19 are placed in Group A and will take on India on 30 November in their first match of the tournament before taking on UAE and Japan on 2 and 4 December, respectively at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium (DICS).

The top two teams from Group A and B will take on each other in the semi-finals on 6 December with the final taking place on 8 December.

Pakistan U19 squad for UAE tour

Saad Baig (captain, wicket-keeper) (Karachi), Abdul Subhan (Abbottabad), Ali Raza (Sialkot), Faham-ul-Haq (Lahore), Farhan Yousuf (Lahore), Haroon Arshad (Karachi), Hassan Khan (Rawalpindi), 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)

*Mohammad Huzaifa is only part of the squad for the tri-series

Non-travelling reserves: Ahmed Hussain (Peshawar), Mohammad Huzaifa (Bahawalpur), 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)

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UAE to host Afghanistan and Pakistan for U19 tri-series in November

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday confirmed that the Pakistan men’s U19 cricket team will take on Afghanistan and the hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE) in a 50-over tri-series from 13 to 26 November.

Pakistan will face the UAE in the event opener (venue to be confirmed in due course) with the tournament to be played on a double-league format and the top two sides qualifying for the final.

This series will be played in the build-up to the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2024 and will provide an excellent opportunity for the three sides to finalise their preparations for the competition, whose details will be announced by the ACC in due course.

With the PCB National U19 Cup (one-day) and Championship (three-day) due to commence in October, these events will be good platforms and opportunities for emerging and talented cricketers to perform consistently so that they can impress the selectors and strengthen their claims for the tri-series and the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup selection.

PCB Director International, Usman Wahla expressed his gratitude towards the Emirates Cricket Board for organizing the series.

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“We are delighted that the Pakistan Men’s U19 team will be taking part in a highly competitive U19 tri-series in the UAE just before the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup. This will be a great opportunity for the young players to grow and nurture their skills,” said Wahla.

“The PCB is thankful to the Emirates Cricket Board for arranging this tri-series which also shows strong bilateral ties between both the Boards and our shared commitment towards developing young players.”

Meanwhile, Director National Academy and Head Coach of UAE Men’s U19 team Mudassar Nazar showed believes that the tri-series will be a great platform for youngsters from the participating countries to prepare for U19 Asia Cup.

“The series provides an excellent preparation opportunity for the three teams ahead of the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup,” said Nazar.

“UAE had an incredible run in last year’s Asia Cup, playing the final of the prestigious tournament which included cricketing powers like India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It was a phenomenal achievement indeed.

“U19 events act as a stepping stone for young cricketers and helps them understand the demands of professional cricket. We have an exciting bunch of young cricketers who are set to take UAE cricket forward in the years ahead, these two tournaments will surely help in their cricketing development and grooming.”

U19 tri-series (50 overs) Afghanistan-Pakistan-UAE Schedule

13 November – Pakistan vs UAE

15 November – Afghanistan vs Pakistan

17 November – UAE vs Afghanistan

19 November – Pakistan vs Afghanistan

21 November – Afghanistan vs UAE

23 November – UAE vs Pakistan

26 November – Final

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“I want to lead like him”: Pakistan U19 skipper inspired by Sarfaraz Ahmed’s captaincy

Pakistan under-19 captain Saad Baig has recently revealed his deep admiration for former all-format captain Sarfaraz Ahmed.

During a recent interview with a local sports outlet, Baig opened up about his journey and experience of leading the side to the semi-finals of the ICC U19 World Cup 2023.

“I started with tape ball cricket. Then my father got me admitted to Custom Cricket Academy. That’s where my journey began,” Baig said.

“I played U13, then U16, and after performing for three years there, I performed in the PJL. After consistently performing, PCB announced me as a captain. I represented Pakistan in the World Cup as a captain and also in the Asia Cup. So, thank God, the journey has been very good so far.”

Saad Baig also reflected on the role of captain in cricket, emphasizing on the handling the pressure as a leader.

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“As a captain, there is pressure on you. But how you lead your team under that pressure is a very important role. The journey of the U19 World Cup was very good; we showed good performances,” he added.

Prior to the U19 World Cup, Baig approached Sarfaraz Ahmed for advice. Baig disclosed that Sarfaraz provided him with valuable guidance, expressing his aspiration to emulate Sarfaraz’s strong leadership as a captain.

“Before going to the World Cup, I had a conversation with Saifi Bhai [Sarfaraz Ahmed]. He told me how he played during his World Cup journey and gave me tips because he was also a captain,” shared Baig.

“I learned a lot from him; he always backs me. After the World Cup, he taught me a lot and gave me advice. So, as a captain, I like him very much. I like a bit of aggressiveness on the field, which he has, and I also want to be a captain like him and lead my team to victory.”

For the unversed, Sarfaraz led Pakistan to the U19 World Cup victory in 2006, by defeating arch-rivals India in the final.

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Pakistan squad for ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup unveiled

Saad Baig will lead the 15-player Pakistan U19 squad in the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, which will be played from 19 January to 11 February, 2024 in South Africa.

Among the squad are Ali Asfand and Mohammad Zeeshan, both of whom had represented Pakistan in the previous edition of the U19 World Cup held in the West Indies in January-February 2022.

🚨 Pakistan U19 squad announced for ICC U19 World Cup 2024 🇵🇰

Read more ➡️ https://t.co/5pqXJZIMGp #PakistanFutureStars pic.twitter.com/8U8B3AheDr

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) December 23, 2023

11 players, who were part of the Pakistan squad for the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2023, managed to retain their spots in the team for the upcoming U19 World Cup.

The eight-team tournament saw Pakistan emerging as a standout force in Group A. The young talents from Pakistan proved their mettle by remaining undefeated in the group-stage matches.

Pakistan started their U19 Asia Cup campaign with a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Nepal before outclassing bitter rivals India by eight wickets, courtesy of Azan Awais’s century, who scored 105 runs off 130 balls.

Pakistan then concluded their group-stage campaign with a dominant 83-run victory over Afghanistan.

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The Green Shirts then took on the hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the semi-final of the tournament and succumbed to a shock loss which marked the end of their brilliant campaign.

Chairman Junior Selection Committee Sohail Tanvir said: “I want to congratulate the 15 players who have made it into the squad for South Africa and I am confident that this well-balanced side has the capability and potential to perform well in the World Cup.

“While picking the team, we have considered the conditions in South Africa where the pitches are conducive to pace bowling and have aimed to cover all bases.”

Pakistan U19 squad – Saad Baig (captain and wicketkeeper), Ali Asfand (vice-captain), Ali Raza, Ahmad Hassan, Amir Hassan, Arfat Minhas, Azan Awais, Haroon Arshad, Khubaib Khalil, Mohammad Zeeshan, Naveed Ahmed Khan, Shahzaib Khan, Shamyl Hussain, Muhammad Riazullah and Ubaid Shah.

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Pakistan crashed out of U19 Asia Cup 2023 after shock UAE defeat

DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) stunned Pakistan by 11 runs in a low-scoring thriller and stormed into the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2023 final.

Set to chase a modest 194, Pakistan’s batting unit unfolded on a mere 182 despite a gritty half-century by their captain Saad Baig.

Pakistan, after having a dismal start to the run chase when they were reduced to 22/2 in the sixth over, managed to recover well, courtesy of a sensible partnership between Baig and Azan Awais.

The pair took Pakistan past the 100-run mark and had put their side in command for a comfortable victory before both perished in successive overs.

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Baig remained the top-scorer for Pakistan U19 with a 52-ball 50, laced with four boundaries and a six while Awais struck five boundaries amid his cautious 41-run knock in 71 deliveries.

The back-to-back dismissals sparked a collapse in Pakistan’s batting lineup and they soon slipped to 121/7 in 29 overs.

Ali Asfand and Amir Hassan then put together a cautious partnership for the eighth wicket and added 44 runs to the total.

The duo, however, conceded a whopping 94 deliveries in the process, causing the required run-rate to skyrocket.

The dire need to go big saw Hassan falling victim to Dhruv Prashar in the 45th over. He scored 27 in 47 deliveries with the help of two boundaries and a six.

Asfand, on the other hand, held his ground firm but his efforts went in vain as the UAE bowlers ran through Pakistan U19 tailenders to wrap up a historic victory in the final over of the run chase.

Asfand remained stranded at the crease with an unbeaten 16 in 61 deliveries.

Hardik Pai and Ayman Ahamed led the bowling attack for the UAE with two wickets each while Omid Rehman, Prashar and Ammar Badami made one scalp each.

Putting UAE into bat first, Pakistan U19 did well to restrict the home side to 193 in 47.5 overs despite Aayan Afzal Khan’s half-century.

He played a captain’s knock of 57-ball 55 with seven boundaries to his name. Opener Aryansh Sharma chipped in with his 46 from 70 balls with the help of six boundaries.

Ethan D’Souza played a handy knock of 37 off 63 balls with two fours and a six to his name.

Ubaid Shah, younger brother of star Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah, was the pick of Pakistan’s bowlers with his 4-44 in 9.5 overs. Ali Asfand and Arafat Minhas took two wickets each.

In another semi-final clash, Bangladesh outclassed India by four wickets and also made it to the U19 Asia Cup final.

India, after being sent to bat first, scored 188 in 42.4 overs on the back of Murugan Abhishek and Musheer Khan’s fifties.

The former top-scored with 74-ball 62 with six fours and two maximums to his name. The latter struck three fours on his way to 50 off 61 balls.

Maruf Mridha was the pick of Bangladesh bowlers with his 4-41 in 10 overs. Rohanat Doullah Borson and Sheikh Paevez Jibon bagged two wickets each.

Bangladesh successfully chased the 189-run target at the loss of six wickets in 42.5 overs. Ariful Islam was the star performer with his 94 off 90 balls. His knock included nine fours and four sixes.

He was supported by Ahrar Amin who stuck three fours on his way to 101-ball 44.

Naman Tiwari picked three wickets for India.

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Pakistan to face UAE in ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup semi-final

Pakistan’s thrilling journey of the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2023 has reached its pinnacle they prepare to face off against UAE U19 in the semi-final clash at the ICC Academy Ground Dubai, on Friday.

The eight-team tournament has seen Pakistan U19 emerged as a standout force in Group A. The young talents from Pakistan proved their mettle by remaining undefeated in the group-stage matches.

Mohammad Zeeshan earned the player of the match award in the seven-wicket win against Nepal U19 for his impressive performance, securing six wickets for 19 runs and contributing 20 runs off eight balls.

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Azan Awais was then the highlight against India U19, remaining unbeaten with a stellar innings of 105 runs off 130 balls and leading the side to an eight-wicket win.

Shamyl Hussain was named player of the match in the game against Afghanistan, displaying an excellent performance with the bat, smashing 75 runs off 54 balls and taking one wicket for eight runs with the ball as Pakistan claimed an 83-run win over Afghanistan U19.

The semi-final clash promises to be an exciting battle as both teams vie for a coveted spot in the U19 Asia Cup finale.

UAE U19, hosting the tournament and competing alongside Bangladesh, Japan, and Sri Lanka in Group B, have also been in form.

The last meeting between Pakistan U19 and UAE U19 saw the Qasim Akram-led side win the match by 21 runs at the ICC Academy Ground in 2021.

Qasim Akram was the player of the match in that contest for his all-round contribution of (50, 67b and three for 52).

Pakistan captain Saad Baig said, “We have done well in all three games played so far. However, this achievement is not our ultimate goal. Our aim is to win the U19 Asia Cup. We consistently strive to deliver on the big stage, as shown by our performances in the last three games.

“We remain focused on identifying and rectifying mistakes after each match, improving ourselves for the upcoming fixtures.”

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Pakistan thrash Afghanistan to reach U19 Asia Cup 2023 semi-finals

Pakistan on Tuesday qualified for the ACC U19 Asia Cup 2023 semi-finals with an 83-run thrashing of Afghanistan in their group stage fixture at the ICC Academy in Dubai.

Pakistan, who are unbeaten in the U19 Asia Cup 2023, put on a daunting total of 303 in 48 overs courtesy of Shamyl Hussain, Shahzaib Khan and Riaz Ullah’s fifties.

Opening batter Shahzaib Khan top-scored with 79 from 95 balls with nine boundaries and a six to his name. His opening part Shamyl Hussain struck seven fours and five maximums on his way to a 54-ball 75.

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Riaz Ullah chipped in with his 73 off 69 deliveries. His knock included five boundaries and two sixes.

Azan Awais was the next-best run-getter for Pakistan with a 19-ball 20 while the rest made modest contributions.

Faridoon Dawoodzai and Bashir Ahmad led the bowling charge for Afghanistan with three wickets each while Khalel Ahmad and Naseer Khan Maroofkhil bagged two wickets each.

In response, Afghanistan put on a hapless batting performance as the side were dismissed for 220 in 48.4 overs.

Wicketkeeper Numan Shah waged a lone battle for Pakistan against a ruthless Pakistan bowling attack as he struck a gritty half-century.

He top-scored for his side with 54 from 78 balls with the help of four boundaries and a six. Wafiullah Tarakhil chipped in with his 34-ball 32.

Ubaid Shah was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan at the back of his figures of 3/19 in seven overs. Tayyab Arif also dismissed three Afghanistan batters as well.

It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan started the U19 Asia Cup 2023 campaign with a seven-wicket win over Nepal. They beat arch-rivals India by the same margin as well in their following game.

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PCB unveils Pakistan U19 squad for ACC U19 Asia Cup 2023

LAHORE: Sohail Tanvir, the head of the junior selection committee, has finalised the 15-member Pakistan U19 squad for the upcoming ACC U19 Asia Cup 2023 in Dubai.

Saad Baig will continue to lead the Pakistan U19 team in the eight-team tournament scheduled from 8 to 17 December.

Saad Baig has previously captained the Pakistan U19 team in the home series against Sri Lanka and the tour to Bangladesh earlier this year.

Pakistan U19 are placed in Group A alongside Afghanistan U19, India U19 and Nepal U19.

They will play their first match of the tournament against Nepal on 8 December followed by games against India and Afghanistan on 10 and 12 December respectively.

Prior to the selection of the squad, the Pakistan U19 probables had assembled for a training camp at the Hanif Mohammad High-Performance Centre, Karachi on 24 November.

The 15-member squad will now depart to Dubai on 6 December.

Pakistan U19 squad

Saad Baig (captain and wicket-keeper), Ahmad Hussain, Ali Asfand, Amir Hassan, Arafat Minhas (vice-captain), Azan Awais, Khubaib Khalil, Najab Khan, Naveed Ahmed Khan, Mohammad Riazullah, Mohammad Tayyab Arif, Mohammad Zeeshan, Shahzaib Khan, Shamyl Hussain and Ubaid Shah

Non-Travelling Reserves

Ahmad Hassan, Aimal Khan, Obaid Shahid and Mohammad Zulkifal

Support Staff

Shoaib Muhammad (Team Manager), Muhammad Yousaf (Head Coach), Rehan Riaz (Bowling Coach), Mansoor Amjad (Fielding Coach), Muhammad Masroor (Assistant Batting Coach), Umer Rashid Dar (Assistant Coach) Hafiz Naeem Ul Rasul (Team Physio), Usman Hashmi (Team Analyst), Imran Ullah (Trainer), Muhammad Arslan (Media and Digital Manager)

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