U-19 cricketers to leave for Australia on Friday (Video)

KABUL (PAN): A recently named 15-members squad is leaving for Australia on Friday, almost three weeks ahead of the Under-19 World Cup, scheduled to start in August, officials said on Thursday. Javed Ahmadi is the team’s skipper, Shabir Noori his deputy and Sher Agha Hamkar its manager. It is being assisted by Geoff Lawson as consultant and Haji Wali Amin as coach. Lawson will work with the team following its arrival in Australia for the mega event that features 12 nations -- divided into four groups. Afghanistan is placed in group B with Pakistan, New Zealand and Scotland. Hosts Australia, England, Nepal and Ireland are in group A. The West Indies, Zimbabwe, India and Papua New Guinea are placed in group C. Group D includes Sri Lanka, South Africa, Bangladesh and Namibia. Flanked by Amin and Ahmadi, Hamkar told a press conference in Kabul that the tournament involved six teams having full membership of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Wafa said Afghanistan will face Pakistan on August 11 in their opener, before taking on the Kiwis three days later. In the third encounter, they are scheduled to meet Scotland on August 15. Ahead of their matches, Afghanistan will play warm-ups against Ireland on August 7 and India the next day. The manger said the selection committee had picked the players after a thorough assessment of their overall performance during six months of trials. He added the youngsters’ morale had been high since they defeated Bangladesh in the Asia Cup a few days ago. The squad is: Javed Ahmadi (captain), Shabir Noori (vice captain), Nasir Jamal Ahmadzai, Afsar Zazai, Najib Zadran, Syed Ahmad Sherzad, Mohibullah Pak, Aftab Alam, Noorul Haq Malakzai, Yameen Ahmadzai, Farid Malik, Younis Khan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Abdul Rahim Mangal and Rashid Khan Nasiri. PAJHWOK/Ataullah Khpelwak