The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday announced the schedule of Pakistan Under-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 the 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 U16 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 January 17 to February 9, 2020. Discussions with a number of other Boards on youth series as part of the Pakistan U19 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 U16 side displayed a good account of themselves against Australia U16 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). 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), Mohammad Hasnain Sabir (Rawalpindi), Mohammad Latif (FATA), Mohammad Shehzad (Multan), Mohammad Waqas (Faisalabad), Muneeb Wasif (Lahore), Masood Ahmed (Quetta), Rizwan Mahmood (Hyderabad), Sameer Saqib (Faisalabad), Umer Eman (Lahore) and Zubair Shinwari (FATA). Tour schedule: 29 April – 1 May – Three-day match, Fatullah 5-7 May – Three-day match, Khulna 10 May – 1st 50-over match, Khulna 12 May – 2nd 50-over match, Khulna 15 May – 3rd 50-over match, Khulna.