Dubai, The U19 Cricket World Cup 2024, set to begin on January 16th in South Africa, is poised to showcase a host of young talents who may soon make their mark in senior international cricket. With the tournament drawing near, a number of players from various teams are tipped for standout performances.

According to International Cricket Council, the event has historically been a stepping stone for young cricketers to progress into senior international careers. In this year’s edition, teams like India, Bangladesh, Ireland, the USA, England, South Africa, West Indies, Scotland, Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, New Zealand, and Nepal have their key players ready to shine.

For India, Uday Saharan and Arshi Kulkarni are players to watch, with Saharan having top-scored in the series against South Africa and Afghanistan, and Kulkarni leading in runs at the ACC U19 Asia Cup. Bangladesh’s Ashiqur Rahaman Shibli, the top-scorer at the ACC U19 Asia Cup with impressive performances, and left-arm seamer Maruf Mridha are key players for their team. Ireland’s all-rounder Scott MacBeth and batter Jamie Dunk of Scotland, who was the top run-scorer at the Europe Qualifier, are also among the players expected to make a significant impact.

The USA team will be led by captain Rishi Ramesh, with Utkarsh Srivastava and seamer Ateendra Subramanian as crucial players. England’s squad, with several players holding professional county contracts, includes skipper Ben McKinney and all-rounder Luc Benkenstein. South Africa’s left-arm quick Kwena Maphaka and batter Steve Stolk are among their top prospects.

West Indies’ Jordan Johnson and Jewel Andrew, along with Scotland’s Bahadar Esakhiel, a talented batter who started playing cricket after moving from Afghanistan in 2016, are also in the spotlight. Australia’s Sam Konstas and Raf MacMillan, and Sri Lanka’s Sineth Jayawardena and Malsha Tharupathi, are set to be key players for their respective teams.

Zimbabwe, led by Matthew Schonken, and Namibia, with players like Jack Brassell and Gerhard Janse van Rensburg, are geared up for strong performances. Afghanistan’s Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar and Hassan Khan Eisakhil, along with Pakistan’s Saad Baig and Ubaid Shah, are expected to lead their teams with distinction.

New Zealand’s Zac Cumming and Nepal’s Dev Khanal and Gulshan Jha are also among the young talents to watch in this edition of the U19 Cricket World Cup.