Babar to lead Pakistan in U19 World Cup

PCB makes solitary change from Asia Cup squad.

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made just one change to the under-19 team that shared the Asia Cup with India, bringing in left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar in place of leg-spinner Akhtar Waheed Kayan for the World Cup that takes place in Australia next month.

Babar Azam has been retained as captain. Pakistan will play three warm-up matches against Australia before the mega event in order to get the players acclimatised to the conditions, according to manager Haroon Rasheed.

“The warm-up matches will be crucial and it’ll be important for our players to adjust,” Rasheed told The Express Tribune. “It’ll be a different challenge for the team despite having done really well in South Africa [testing conditions for batsmen] previously.”

Rasheed added that Pakistan had a ‘very good’ pace attack – comprising Ziaul Haq, Meer Hamza, Azizullah and Ehsan Adil – before praising all-rounder Muhammad Nawaz and leg-spinner Usman Qadir.

“Overall our side is good. I’m hopeful of lifting the trophy.”

Pakistan shared the Asia Cup with India after the final ended in a tie. The team remained unbeaten in the tournament.

Pakistan

Babar Azam, Sami Aslam, Syed Saad Ali, Imamul Haq, Syed Faraz Ali, Umar Waheed, Azizullah, Mir Hamza, Ehsan Adil, Salman Afridi, Muhammad Nawaz, Zafar Gohar, Muhammad Ziaul Haq, Shahid Ilyas and Usman Qadir

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2012.