Lahore, Saad Baig has been named as the captain of the Pakistan U19 cricket team for the upcoming ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, scheduled to be held from January 19 to February 11, 2024, in South Africa.
According to Pakistan Cricket Board, the team will comprise 15 players, including Ali Asfand and Mohammad Zeeshan, who both participated in the previous U19 World Cup in the West Indies in January-February 2022. The full squad includes Saad Baig as captain and wicketkeeper, Ali Asfand as vice-captain, along with Ali Raza, Ahmad Hassan, Amir Hassan, Arfat Minhas, Azan Awais, Haroon Arshad, Khubaib Khalil, Naveed Ahmed Khan, Shahzaib Khan, Shamyl Hussain, Muhammad Riazullah, and Ubaid Shah.
Chairman Junior Selection Committee, Sohail Tanvir, expressed his confidence in the team, highlighting its well-balanced composition and potential for strong performance in the World Cup. He mentioned that the selection considered the pitch conditions in South Africa, which favor pace bowling.
The support staff accompanying the team includes Shoaib Mohammad as Team Manager, Mohammad Yousaf as Head Coach, Rehan Riaz as Bowling Coach, Mansoor Amjad as Fielding Coach, Muhammad Masroor as Assistant Batting Coach, Umer Rashid Dar as Assistant Coach, Hafiz Naeem Ul Rasul as Team Physio, Usman Hashmi as Team Analyst, and Imran Ullah as Strength & Conditioning Coach.
The selected players will gather for a training camp in Lahore from December 28, 2023, to January 6, 2024, in preparation for the World Cup.