To be asked to represent your country at a world-level tournament is any budding teenage cricketer’s dream, but to take part in two editions before turning 19 is a remarkable accomplishment reserved for a select band who display talent beyond their years.
Three-time former champions India has in its ranks Sarfaraz Khan, Ricky Bhui and Avesh Khan, who helped their team finish fifth in the UAE.
Sarfaraz, one of India’s brightest young batsmen who turns out for Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League, insisted he had an unfinished business at hand in Bangladesh.
“Our hopes of defending the title in 2014 were dashed when we lost to England in the quarter-finals,” the stocky batsman said. “That really hurts and we are determined to go all the way this time.
“It helps to have played at the senior level in domestic cricket but I can’t be complacent about that. We will be competing against the world’s best junior players in Bangladesh. I just want to do well and help my team win.”
Afghanistan has retained four members of the squad that finished seventh in 2014. They are Ihsanullah Janat, who is now the captain, Muslim Musa, Waheed Shafaq and Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar.
Defending champion South Africa, England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe will take the field with a fresh set of cricketers, but most of the other teams have players with previous experience in the tournament.
Nepal and Ireland did not qualify in 2014, while Fiji is the only newcomer to the event.
The 11th edition of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup will be played across four cities in Bangladesh from January 27 to February 14, featuring nine Test-playing nations and seven the Associate and Affiliate members – Afghanistan, Canada, Fiji, Ireland, Namibia, Nepal and Scotland.
pic courtsey:indianexpress
