LAHORE: Multan’s Imran Rafiq has been named to lead Pakistan Under-19 side for the tour of Sri Lanka starting from Oct 1.

Awais Iqbal will be Imran’s deputy for the 25-trip to Sri Lanka where the Pakistan juniors will feature in two three-day ‘Tests’ and five one-day matches.

The 16-man squad, announced on Tuesday by the junior selection committee headed by former Test batsman Basit Ali with Ali Zia, Ali Naqvi and Farrukh Zaman as members, with Rawalpindi having four of players in the national team and Fata three. Multan and Karachi have two players while one cricketer each has been picked from Lahore, Peshawar, Islamabad, Abbottabad, and Sialkot.

The selectors have also named five stand-bys.

The first ‘Test’ is scheduled to begin from Oct 4 at Galle, followed the second in Hambantota from Oct 10. The one-day series kicks off on Oct 16 in Matara while the remaining four limited-overs fixtures are slated to be played at three venues — Nondescript Cricket Club Ground, P. Sara Oval and the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground — in Colombo between Oct 19 and 25.

Squad:

Imran Rafiq (Multan, captain), Awais Iqbal (Rawalpindi, vice-captain), Abdullah Shafiq (Sialkot), Zeeshan Malik (Rawalpindi), Shadab Khan (Rawalpindi), Umair Masood (Rawalpindi, wicket-keeper), Mohammad Umar (Fata), Hayatullah (Fata), Sameen Gul (Fata), Hamza Khan (Peshawar), Aun Abbas (Islamabad), Mohammad Bilal Shah (Abbottabad), Irfan Liaquat (Multan), Hasan Mohsin (Karachi), Saif Ali Ghauri (Karachi), Kamran Afzal (Lahore).

Stand-bys: Asjad Nawaz (Islamabad), Saif Badar (Sialkot), Aarish Ahmed (Karachi, wicket-keeper), Asad Malik (Hyderabad), Mir Wais Khan (Lahore).

Schedule:

Oct 4-6: First three-day ‘Test’ (Galle International Stadium).

Oct 10-12: Second three-day ‘Test’ (Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Hambantota).

Oct 16: First One-dayer (Uyanwatte Stadium, Matara).

Oct 19: Second One-dayer (NCC Ground, Colombo).

Oct 21: Third One-dayer (NCC Ground, Colombo).

Oct 23: Fourth One-dayer (P. Sara Oval, Colombo).

Oct 25: Fifth One-dayer (SSC Ground, Colombo).

Published in Dawn, September 23rd , 2015

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