LAHORE: Pakistan U-19s will kick off their preparations for next year’s ICC World Cup when they take on their Sri Lankan counterparts in an away tour next month.

Pakistan’s junior selection committee, headed by former Test batsman Basit Ali, has announced 26 probables (born on or after September 1, 2000), who will feature in a three-day trial match from April 11-13 and a one-day trial match on May 15 at the National Stadium, before the 15-player squad along with five reserves are announced for the tour.

The three-week Sri Lanka tour will comprise two four-day matches from May 3-6 and May 9-12 in Galle and Hambantota, respectively, while the 50-over fixtures will be played on May 15, 17 and 20, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Tuesday.

The U-19 World Cup will be played in South Africa from January 17 to February 9 next year and Pakistan will aim to annex the trophy for the first time since 2006.

Probables: Khayyam Khan, Muzammil Khan, Basit Ali , Irfan Niazi, Sulman Shafqat, Abbas Afridi, Aftab Alam, Mohammad Wasim, Said Nazir, Rohail Nazir, Mohammad Taha, Nadir Shah, Saim Ayub, Fahad Munir, Qasim Akram , Amir Ali , Mohammad Asif, M. Jahangir, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Haris, Niaz Khan, Salman Khan Jr., Akhtar Shah, Mohammad Junaid, Haider Ali,Shiraz Khan.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2019