LAHORE: Rana Abdul Wahid has been appointed captain of Pakistan’s junior squad for the Junior World Cup to be held in Bhubaneswar, India from November 24 to December 5. An 18-member national squad has been announced by chief selector Manzoor Junior, under whose captaincy Pakistan won theinaugural World Junior Cup in 1979, Moeen Shakeel has been named as deputy of Wahid. Manzoor said Wednesday that the team could not make appropriate preparations for the mega event due to COVID-19 pandemic. “The players have the potential to excel which they exhibited during the four-match series against the national team`s senior probables held last week,” he added. He hoped for the best from the national team while claiming it was thebest squad, duly selected on merit. According to Manzoor, a number of junior squad members are ready to get a place in the senior team who will participate in the Asian Champions Trophy in Dhaka next month. Pakistan face Germany in their Junior World Cup Group D opener on Nov 24, followed by group matches against Egypt on Nov 27 and Argentina on Nov 28.Before the start of the World Cup, Pakistan will play back-to-back practicematches against Chile (Nov 21) and Canada (Nov 22).Since 1993, Pakistan have struggled to get a place on the podium in the Junior World Cup. In 1993, Pakistan earned silver medal after losing the final to Germany in Spain. Besides winning the gold medal in 1979, Pakistan claimed bronze medals thrice in a row 1982, 1985 and 1989. Squad: Rana Abdul Wahid (captain). Moeen Shakil (vice-captain), Waqar, Abdullah Ishtiaq (goalkeepers), Aqeel Ahmad, Rizvan Ali, Adeel Latil, Mohammad Ilammad-ud-Din, Abdul Hanan Shahid, Ghazanfar Ali, UmairSattar, Mohibullah, Abuzar, Mohsin Hasan, Abdul Manan, Abdul Rahman. Roman Khan and Mohammad Abdullah.