LAHORE: All-rounder Qasim Akram will lead the 15-man Pakistan squad in the ICC U-19 World Cup being staged in January-February 2022 in the West Indies.
The Lahore-born Qasim will also captain the team in the U-19 Asia Cup that will be held in the UAE later this month. The junior selection committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board had invited 21 high-performing cricketers, born on or after Sept 1, 2002 (eligibility criteria), for a training camp that is currently underway in Lahore to prepare the side for the two events. The camp began last week.
Besides the final 15 for the World Cup and the Asia Cup, the squad also includes two travelling reserves for both tournaments. The squad includes four players who took part in the preceding U-19 World Cup that was played in South Africa during January-February 2020, Pakistan finished third in the event.
The 19-year-old Qasim, openers Abdul Wahid Bangalzai and Mohammad Shehzad and middle-order batter Irfan Khan Niazi were the four players to feature in the South Africa event.
Following the 2020 event, Qasim was hugely impressive for Central Punjab in all three formats in the 2020-21 domestic season which was his first, Abdul Wahid scored a double-century for Balochistan in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy besides batting impressively in the National T20 Cup.
Irfan appeared for Central Punjab in the National T20 Cup and has already earned the reputation of being a clean striker, Shehzad was also one of the most prolific batters in the 2021-22 U-19 one-day and three-day events.
Abdul Faseeh, Haseebullah, Rizwan Mehmood and Maaz Sadaqat were the standout performers with the bat in the domestic U-19 circuit. Pacers Ahmed Khan, Awais Ali and Zeeshan Zameer have also impressing the selectors and coaches with their potential.
Pakistan Shaheens and U-19 head coach Ijaz Ahmed will lead the support staff on the two tours.Squad: Qasim Akram (captain), Abdul Faseeh, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Ahmed Khan, Ali Asfand, Arham Nawab, Awais Ali, Faisal Akram, Haseebullah, Irfan Khan Niazi, Maaz Sadaqat, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Shehzad, Rizwan Mehmood, Zeeshan Zameer.
Travelling reserves: Ghazi Ghori, Mohammad Zeeshan.
Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2021