Daily Times

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed Saad Baig and Imran Butt as Pakistan Under-19 and Pakistan Shaheens captains for the upcoming tours of Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, respectively. Karachi-born Saad had captained Pakistan U19 last year against Bangladesh U19 in Multan. In that series, Saad had scored 117 runs in the four-dayer, 30 runs in the one-day matches and 107 runs in the T20s. In the National U19 three-day Championship 2022-23, the left-hander had scored 200 runs, while in the National U19 one-day Cup 2022-23, he scored 299 runs in four matches.

Ali Asfand of Faisalabad had also featured against Bangladesh in the U19 series last year. He scored 45 runs and took two wickets with his left-arm spinner in the four-dayer, contributed 26 runs and took two wickets in the one-dayers and claimed three wickets in the only T20. In the National U19 three-day Championship 2022-23, Ali scored 73 runs and took 18 wickets, while in the National U19 one-day Cup 2022-23, he scored 77 runs and took 11 wickets. Players born on or after 1 September 2004 were eligible for selection in the Bangladesh-bound squad.

Shaheens: Pakistan Shaheens for the tour of Zimbabwe comprise seven players who have represented Pakistan in international cricket. Imran Butt, who has been named as captain, has featured in six Tests, while the others are: Hussain Talat (one ODI, 18 T20Is), Aamir Jamal (tw0 T20Is), Kamran Ghulam (one ODI), Mir Hamza (three Tests), Sahibzada Farhan (three T20Is) and Shahnawaz Dahani (two ODIs and 11 T20Is). For the first time, two players from Quetta have been selected in a national squad. They are Abdul Wahid Bangalzai and Haseebullah, while players who have graduated from the U19 pathways cricket and are in the side are Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Huraira, Mubasir Khan, Qasim Akram and Rohail Nazir.

Pakistan U19 squad: Saad Baig (captain) (Karachi), Ali Asfand (vice-captain) (Faisalabad), Ahmed Hussain (Peshawar), Aimal Khan (Peshawar), Amir Hussain (Rawalpindi), Arafat Minhas (Multan), Azan Awais (Sialkot), Hamza Nawaz (Lahore), Mohammad Ibtisam (Sargodha), Mohammad Ismail (Sahiwal), Mohammad Tahir (Fata), Mohammad Tayyab Arif (Sialkot), Obaid Shahid (Lahore), Sajjad Ali (Lahore), Shahzaib Khan (Mansehra), Shamyl Hussain (Islamabad) and Wahaj Riaz (Karachi). Abidullah (Islamabad), Ikramullah Tareen (Quetta) and Muhammad Zulkifal (Charsadda) (all reserves)

Tour schedule:

30 April — 3 May – Four-day match; ZACS, Chattogram

6 May — 1st 50-over match; ZACS, Chattogram

8 May — 2nd 50-over match; ZACS, Chattogram

11 May — 3rd 50-over match; SKS, Rajshahi

13 May — 4th 50-over match; SKS, Rajshahi

15 May — 5th 50-over match; SKS, Rajshahi

17 May — Only T20 match; SKS, Rajshahi

Pakistan Shaheens squad: Imran Butt (captain) (Lahore), Hussain Talat (vice-captain) (Lahore), Aamir Jamal (Islamabad), Abdul Wahid Bangalzai (Quetta), Haseebullah (Quetta), Kamran Ghulam (Peshawar), Mehran Mumtaz (Rawalpindi), Mir Hamza (Karachi), Mohammad Huraira (Sialkot), Mubasir Khan (Islamabad), Muhammad Umar (Karachi), Omair Bin Yousuf (Karachi), Qasim Akram (Lahore), Rohail Nazir (wicketkeeper) (Islamabad), Sahibzada Farhan (Peshawar) and Shahnawaz Dahani (Larkana). Asif Mehmood (Hyderabad), Athar Mehmood (Gujranwala), Saad Khan (Hyderabad) and Waqar Ahmad (Peshawar) (all reserves)

Tour schedule:

3-6 May — 1st Four-day match; KSC, Kwekwe

10- 13 May —- 2nd Four-day match; MSC, Mutare

17 May —- 1st 50-over match; TSC, Harare

19 May —- 2nd 50-over match; HSC, Harare

21 May —- 3rd 50-over match; HSC, Harare

23 May —- 4th 50-over match; OH, Harare

25 May —- 5th 50-over match; HSC, Harare

27 May —- 6th 50-over match; HSC, Harare