U-19 side to undergo long-term training ahead of WC

KABUL Cup to be played in the UAE in February next year.

The Afghan side has qualified for the mega event thrice. The teams in the UAE will be divided into two groups. The Group A will have India, Pakistan and Malaysia.

The last Under-19 Asia Cup was held in Malaysia where the final between India and Pakistan ended in a nail-biting tie.

Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB)’s chief executive Dr. Noor Mohammad Murad said previous achievements by the under-19 squad showed it had a bright future because the young players had proved their metal like their seniors, the national cricket team.

He said an elaborate and exclusive plan had been put in place to arrange training camps for the under-19 squad at home and abroad in the lead-up to the UAE tournament.

He said a long-term training programme would be launched to improve the side because it would take on experienced cricket nations — Bangladesh and Australia — in the Under-19 World Cup.

He explained the training programme had been divided into four phases and the first phase had been completed at the Kabul International Cricket Stadium, where local mentors provided training to the side for five weeks in all departments of the game.

Under-19 cricket team coach, Daulat Ahmadzai, said the long-term training was aimed at polishing every skill of the players.

“In addition to physical training, the players are learning technical methods and we are optimistic to introduce a talented team to the nation,” he said.

He said the second round of training would be focused on batting and bowling of the players, who would be later engaged in friendly matches.

He said the third phase had been planned outside the country and it would last four weeks when the team would play matches against foreign teams.

Ahmadzai said the fourth and final phase of the training programme would be matches with foreign cricket clubs in the UAE ahead of the World Cup in order to familiarise the side with weather conditions and grounds.

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