Bulawayo: Pakistan U19 is poised to compete against USA U19 in their second warm-up game for the ICC Men's U19 World Cup at the Bulawayo Athletic Club, Zimbabwe, on Tuesday. The match is slated to commence at 9:30 a.m. local time, with the toss scheduled at 9 a.m.
The Pakistani team conducted a rigorous training session on Monday at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. The three-hour practice involved net sessions and fielding drills. This warm-up match follows a disrupted encounter against Bangladesh, which saw only 36.3 overs played before rain intervened at the Masvingo Sports Club.
The upcoming 16-team tournament will run from January 15 to February 6, across venues in Namibia and Zimbabwe. Pakistan, the 2004 and 2006 ICC U19 champions, will face England in their first group match on January 16 in Harare.
Pakistan enters the tournament with momentum, having recently won the ACC Men's U19 Asia Cup and a tri-series. The team secured a decisive victory against India in Dubai and defeated Zimbabwe in Harare.
Head coach Shahid Anwar expressed optimism about the team's prospects, citing strong past performances as key to their confidence. Emphasizing teamwork and resilience, Anwar remarked on the players' commitment to their core values of unity, faith, and discipline.
The 15-member squad is led by captain Farhan Yousaf, with Usman Khan as vice-captain. The team also includes promising talents like Abdul Subhan and Ali Raza.
Pakistan's fixtures in the ICC U19 World Cup include matches against Scotland and Zimbabwe, with potential progression to the Super 6 stage and beyond. The tournament's culmination will see the final played on February 6 at the Harare Sports Club.