U-16 cricket team to tour BD next month

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Friday announced the schedule of Pakistan U-16 cricket team’s tour to Bangladesh. During a three-week visit, the future stars of Pakistan cricket will play two three-day and three 50-over matches.The squad will depart for Dhaka on April 25 and open the tour with a three-day match in Fatullah on April 29. The tour will conclude with the third 50-over match in Khulna on May 15. In this relation, a training camp will start at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore from March 31 and will be attended by the 26 probables who were selected for this year’s series against Australia in Dubai. The squad for the Bangladesh tour will be announced in second week of April.The PCB has organised this tour as part of its strategy to not only revive but lay special emphasis on youth cricket, which is a pathway to senior cricket.Earlier in January, Pakistan U-16 had competed against Australia U-16 in Dubai, winning the 50-over series 3-2 as well as the one-off T20. Furthermore, this tour, in collaboration with the Bangladesh Cricket Board, has also been arranged looking ahead to the ACC U-19 Asia Cup Bangladesh 2018, which will be staged from 29 September to 7 October, as well as the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup 2020, which will be played in South Africa from 17 January to 9 February 2020. Discussions with a number of other Boards on youth series as part of the Pakistan U-19 cricket team’s build-up and preparations for the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup 2020 are ongoing, and more details will be announced in due course.PCB Director International Zakir Khan said: “This series is a stepping stone for the U-16 players for the upcoming high profile series and future events. The Pakistan U-16 side displayed a good account of themselves against Australia U-16 in Dubai, and now it is their opportunity to further hone their skills against an equally tough side in Bangladesh in different conditions.” Umer Eman was the top-scorer for Pakistan in Dubai when he finished with 159 runs in five matches, while Ahmed Khan was the most successful bowler of the series with 13 wickets. He was followed by Faisal Akram (10 wickets).Zakir Khan added: “The PCB has scheduled two three-day games as we are keen on providing an environment to our batsmen at a very young age where they can learn the art and technique of playing longer innings, and, at the same time, allow the bowlers to bowl long spells and fight tooth and nail for wickets. The longer and shorter versions of the game have to progress alongside each other so that in the longer run, we can produce sides that are equally strong at both red and white ball cricket.PCB Director Academies Mudassar Nazar said: “We have prepared a robust training schedule for the U-16 probables, which includes a number of matches – both longer and shorter versions. This programme has been designed to give them a taste of what they will get in Bangladesh and also to improve their match fitness standards.Probables: Abdur Rehman (Abbottabad), Ahmad Khan (Abbottabad), Afzal Manzoor (Sialkot), Ali Hassan (Sialkot), Ali Asfand (Faisalabad), Aliyan Mehmood (Karachi), Amir Hassan (Rawalpindi), Arham Nawab (Faisalabad), Aseer Mughal (Rawalpindi), Ayaz Shah (FATA), Faisal Akram (Multan), Farhad Khan (FATA), Ibrar Afzal (Lahore), Haseebullah (Quetta), Kashif Ali (Karachi), Khalid Khan (Quetta), M Hasnain Sabir (Rawalpindi), M Latif (FATA), M Shehzad (Multan), Md Waqas (Faisalabad), Muneeb Wasif (Lahore), Masood Ahmed (Quetta), Rizwan Mahmood (Hyderabad), Sameer Saqib (Faisalabad), Umer Eman (Lahore) and Zubair Shinwari (FATA).Tour schedule:April 29 – May 1 – 3-day match, FatullahMay 5-7 – Three-day match, KhulnaMay 10 – 1st 50-over match, KhulnaMay 12 – 2nd 50-over match, KhulnaMay 15 – 3rd 50-over match, Khulna.

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