Pakistan name 15-member squad for Under-19 Asia Cup in Oman

Pakistan have announced a 15-member squad for the Under-19 Asia Cup in Oman, with Farhan Yousuf as captain. The Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed the squad on Tuesday. The team is due to leave Karachi for Oman on October 29.

The eight-team tournament runs from November 5 to 14. Pakistan are the defending champions. They won the previous edition in the UAE, beating India by 191 runs in the final at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai.

Pakistan are in Group A with India, Nepal and the UAE. Minute Mirror reported the UAE as the opening opponents on November 6, and Daily Times described them as hosts. Pakistan then play India on November 8 and finish the group stage against Nepal on November 10. Group B has Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Malaysia.

The top two teams from each group reach the semi-finals on November 12, according to Daily Times. The final is on November 14.

The squad is: Farhan Yousuf (captain), Abdul Qadir (wicketkeeper), Abdul Subhan, Ahmed Hussain, Ali Raza, Hamza Zahoor (wicketkeeper), Hasnain Abbas Dar, Hayam Khan, Huzaifa Ahsan, Jahangir Bilal, Mohammad Huzaifa, Mohammad Seyam, Niqab Shafiq, Rizwanullah and Usman Khan.

The batters are Usman Khan, Hayam Khan, Jahangir Bilal and Huzaifa Ahsan, with wicketkeeper-batters Abdul Qadir and Hamza Zahoor. Ahmed Hussain and Hasnain Abbas Dar are the all-rounders. The pace bowlers are Abdul Subhan, Mohammad Seyam, Ali Raza and Rizwanullah, and the spinners are Mohammad Huzaifa and Niqab Shafiq.

The squad largely follows the side that beat England 3-1 in a four-match Youth ODI series in September. Minute Mirror said only Ali Raza and Huzaifa Ahsan were not part of that team, while Daily Times said 13 of the 15 played in it.

Shahid Anwar is head coach and team manager. Rao Iftikhar Anjum is fast-bowling coach, Zohaib Khan is spin-bowling coach and Humayun Farhat is fielding coach.