Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD (January 8, 2022):-Group C of the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup pits a two-time champion against one of the rising forces in the game, with a couple of potential dark horses looking to spring a surprise. Pakistan are the only team to have defended the title, doing so back in 2006 after a first crown two years earlier, and will be looking to make it to the final for the sixth time in the West Indies. Their biggest rivals in the group could be Afghanistan, whose best result came four years ago when they reached the semi-finals. Joining the sub-continental duo are Zimbabwe, who have made it out of the first round on three occasions, and Papua New Guinea, back in the competition after failing to qualify in 2020. Afghanistan (7th appearance) Afghanistan’s rise in the senior game has been mirrored at Under 19 level, with the side having reached the quarter-finals in three of the last four editions of the ICC U19 Men’s CWC. Since first qualifying in 2010, Afghanistan have made it to every tournament since, with the highlight coming in 2018 when a team featuring the likes of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mujeeb Ur Rahman helped them reach the semi-finals before losing to Australia. This time around, it will be up to spinner Noor Ahmad to provide the experience, as the only survivor from the 2020 squad. The 17-year-old has been involved in both the Big Bash and the PSL and should provide plenty of support to skipper Suliman Safi. Pakistan (14th appearance) Only India have reached the ICC U19 Men’s CWC final more often than Pakistan, who have done so on five occasions in total. The glory years came back in 2004 and 2006, with back-to-back titles in squads featuring the likes of future skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, as well as Wahab Riaz and Imad Wasim. More recently, Shaheen Shah Afridi first caught the eye in the ICC U19 Men’s CWC, so the conveyor belt of talent has shown no signs of slowing down. In the West Indies, all-rounder Qasim Akram will captain the side that is coached by Pakistan legend Ijaz Ahmed. Qasim will be joined by top-order batter Mohammad Shehzad who is also back for his second appearances in the tournament. Papua New Guinea (9th appearance) After Papua New Guinea’s senior men’s team competed at the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, the Under 19 team will make their ninth appearance in the ICC U19 Men’s CWC in the West Indies. PNG are yet to make it out of the first round of the tournament but of their three previous victories, two have come against Group C opponents. In 2010, PNG got the better of Afghanistan while two years later they got the better of Zimbabwe. All-rounder Barnabas Maha will lead the side in the West Indies, having also captained the side during qualification for the 2020 ICC U19 Men’s CWC. Zimbabwe (13th appearance) Zimbabwe have been remarkably consistent in recent editions, finishing either 10th or 11th in each of the last four ICC U19 Men’s CWCs. The best of those campaigns came in 2016 when a team featuring then 15-year-old Wesley Madhevere lost by just two runs to eventual champions West Indies to miss out on qualification for the quarter-finals before going on to beat South Africa by eight wickets in the play-offs. A record of three wins and three losses in each of those tournaments shows that Zimbabwe should not be taken lightly by any opponent, and they will be keen to spring a surprise of the sub-continental pair who are favourites to get out of the group. Emmanuel Bawa, who scored a century against Canada at the 2020 edition, captains the side this year and is the only remaining member of that squad. He will be supported by vice-captain Brian Bennett in a side that is coached by former Zimbabwe captain Prosper Utseya.

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD (January 6, 2022):-No country has won more ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cups than India and their quest for a fifth title will begin in Group B. Beaten finalists two years ago, India are looking to go one better this time around and replicate the achievements of the class of 2018, who swept all before them in New Zealand led by current internationals Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill. Coming up against them in the group stage are 2014 champions South Africa, competition regulars Ireland and a Uganda side making their first appearance at this tournament for 16 years. Group B begins in Guyana before moving to Trinidad & Tobago, where one match will take place at Queen’s Park Oval and three at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy. India (14th appearance) India have only once failed to make it past the group stage at an ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup – at the opening edition in 1988 – and enter among the favourites to go all the way. Lifting the 2021 Asia Cup served as perfect preparation, with spinners Vicky Ostwal and Kaushal Tambe shining as India defeated Sri Lanka by nine wickets in the final on New Year’s Eve. The spin twins therefore head to the Caribbean full of confidence, as do the Asia Cup’s leading run scorers Harnoor Singh and Shaik Rasheed, and India’s strength with bat and ball will again make them formidable opponents. Yash Dhull captains the side and will hope to join an illustrious list of names – including Mohammad Kaif, Virat Kohli and Shaw – to have led India to victory in this competition. Ireland (9th appearance) Ireland qualified for their ninth ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup in style, skittling Scotland for 66 in a one-sided final of the Europe qualifier last September. Matthew Humphreys was the star in La Manga, taking 5-25, and the slow left-arm spinner from Lisburn will be eager to take that form into the big occasion. Ireland warmed up by taking on Zimbabwe in Barbados over the New Year and though they went down 3-1 in the series, a 117-run win in the final match showed what the side captained by Tim Tector are capable of on their day. Tenth place in 2010 is Ireland’s best performance in their eight outings to date but they won three of their six matches last time they qualified in 2018, including a memorable four-run victory over Afghanistan. South Africa (13th appearance) South Africa’s chances of success on home soil were ended at the quarter-final stage by eventual winners Bangladesh two years ago but a talented squad will hope to challenge for honours in the Caribbean. All-rounder Dewald Brevis impressed for the Proteas youngsters in the CSA Provincial T20 Knockout competition in October – his batting style drawing comparisons with AB de Villiers – while his leg-spin caused West Indies plenty of problems in a recent warm-up series against the home nation. Left-arm spinner Asakhe Tsaka and captain George van Heerden will also hope to make names for themselves in the coming weeks as South Africa look for a second ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup trophy. Aiden Markram and Kagiso Rabada were the stars of a memorable triumph eight years ago and the current crop will be confident of following in their footsteps. Uganda (3rd appearance) Having narrowly missed out on appearing in 2016 and 2018, Uganda came out on the right side of a nail-biting qualification group to book a place at their third ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup. Uganda needed a big net run rate swing in their favour going into the final matches in the Africa qualifier and they duly achieved it, dismissing Tanzania for 51 and losing just two wickets in reply to advance at Namibia’s expense. In Cyrus Kakuru and Joseph Baguma, Uganda possessed the leading run scorer and joint leading wicket taker of the Africa qualifier while captain Pascal Murungi claimed 4-9 in the decisive win over Tanzania. The Baby Cricket Cranes have won one match on each of their previous outings at this competition, in 2004 and 2006, and will be eager to show what they can do on their return to the global stage.

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD (January 6, 2022):-The West Indies plays host to the ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup for the first time in 2022 and Group A will provide a first look at the defending champions. Bangladesh sprung a surprise two years ago in South Africa as a team featuring the likes of Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Shoriful Islam – both part of the side that claimed an historic Test victory for the senior team in New Zealand this month – won the title. They face ever-presents England, looking to secure a second title after the one they won back in 1998, as well as Canada and the United Arab Emirates. All the games will take place in St Kitts and Nevis, which previously hosted games at the 2007 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. Bangladesh (13th appearance) Over the last eight editions of the ICC U19 Men’s CWC, Bangladesh have come through the first round on six occasions, culminating in the memorable overall victory two years ago in South Africa. On that occasion, they beat India in the final, the team who have caused them the most problems at Under-19 level. Prior to 2020, their previous best performance came in 2016 when a team captained by Mehidy Hasan Miraz finished third overall on home soil. Captaining the side this time around is Rakibul Hasan, part of the winning team in South Africa and the left-arm spinner will be key to the team building on a strong recent record. Canada (8th appearance) Canada head to the West Indies to take part in a fifth successive ICC U19 Men’s CWC, and an eighth overall. The North Americans will be hoping to improve on a best previous result of 11th place, which came in 2010. They have never made it past the first round and into the quarter-finals, and will be up against it here with the defending champions Bangladesh and England in the group. Skipper Mihir Patel was part of the team in South Africa, including scoring 90 against fellow Group A outfit UAE in a first-round defeat that was later avenged in the play-offs. England (14th appearance) It has now been 24 years since England’s sole ICC U19 Men’s CWC victory, but the team did reach the semi-finals on the way to third place back in 2014. Last time out, England failed to get through the first round, edged out in a group also featuring Australia and the West Indies before going on to finish ninth with three wins in the play-offs. This year, Hampshire batter and skipper Tom Prest will be hopeful of a stronger showing for a completely new-look side coached by Richard Dawson. The team also features Barbados-born spinner Jacob Bethell, who will hope to impress on his return to the Caribbean, as well as fellow spinner Archie Lenham, who featured regularly for Sussex across all three formats in 2021 at the age of just 17. United Arab Emirates (3rd appearance) The United Arab Emirates have qualified for the ICC U19 Men’s CWC for the second edition running, and third overall having hosted the event in 2014. Last time around, the UAE got the better of Canada in the first round, but then fell to the same opponent in the 13th-place play-off, so they will be a familiar rival. Full international Alishan Sharafu, a batting all-rounder, will captain the side, having been part of the squad two years ago. He has since gone on to represent the UAE at T20I and ODI level and will bring plenty of experience to the side as one of two returning players, along with 17-year-old wicket-keeper and opener Kai Smith, who was just 15 when he played in this event in South Africa. Group A fixtures 15 January - Canada v UAE, Conaree Cricket Center, St Kitts and Nevis 16 January - Bangladesh v England, Warner Park Cricket Stadium, St Kitts and Nevis 18 January - England v Canada, Warner Park Cricket Stadium, St Kitts and Nevis 20 January - England v UAE, Warner Park Cricket Stadium, St Kitts and Nevis; 20 January - Bangladesh v Canada, Conaree Cricket Center, St Kitts and Nevis 22 January - Bangladesh v UAE, Warner Park Cricket Stadium, St Kitts and Nevis

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD (January 4, 2022):-Bangladesh became just the seventh team to be crowned ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup champions by beating India to clinch the 2020 tournament in South Africa. Skippered brilliantly by Akbar Ali, the first-time finalists clinched their maiden title against the odds as they defeated the four-time winners by three wickets under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method to make history. Chasing 178 to win, the young Tigers were struggling at 102 for six before Akbar’s knock of 43 not out dragged them over the line in a rain-shortened finale in Potchefstroom. The triumph was a significant achievement for Bangladesh cricket as they won a global ICC tournament for the very first time at any level, coming 22 years after they made their debut in the prestigious ICC U19 Men's CWC - a moment that was not lost on Akbar. “It's a dream come true,” said the wicketkeeper-batter. “We've had a very good experience, and this is just the beginning for us. Hopefully, this will be the starting stone for us.” Bangladesh’s previous best performance at the ICC U19 Men’s CWC was on home soil in 2016, finishing in third place after losing their semi-final to eventual champions West Indies. But the 2020 edition was a different story after they progressed to the Super League knockout stages by topping their group, beating Zimbabwe and Scotland along the way. Shoriful Islam and 2022 skipper Rakibul Hasan then starred with the ball for Bangladesh as they knocked off South Africa and New Zealand to reach the showpiece final. And despite coming up against an inspired Yashasvi Jaiswal, who made 88 to take the Player of the Tournament award, nothing could stop Bangladesh from sealing the title. The ICC U19 Men’s CWC is known for being a major stepping stone in the development of all the participating teams, providing a platform for cricket’s future stars to shine on the world stage. That certainly proved to be the case for Bangladesh, who unearthed several supreme talents along the way who have since gone on to receive full international honours. Shoriful, in particular, became a left-arm pace sensation almost overnight thanks to his role in Bangladesh’s title success, taking nine wickets over the course of the tournament. His aggression and pace against South Africa, New Zealand and India proved pivotal, earning him a maiden call-up to the senior ODI side in January 2021 for the series against West Indies. He has since played in all three formats for his country, taking 22 wickets in 17 T20I matches and seven wickets in four ODIs to cement himself in the team for years to come. And Akbar recognised the importance of capitalising on his team’s silverware success soon after the tournament’s conclusion, thanking the Bangladesh Cricket Board for their support. “I believe age-group cricket is different compared to international cricket, the latter is much more difficult and challenging,” said the captain just a few days after lifting the trophy. “The board is providing us facilities to move on to the next level and our first target will be to minimise the gap between age-level cricket and international cricket and prepare ourselves properly for the next level. “After winning the World Cup we got two days rest in South Africa and our team management gave us some messages to prepare ourselves for the next level. “We are determined not to be carried away after winning the Under-19 World Cup. We know our professional career has just started. We know that we need to improve ourselves as players. “We are not carried away with self-satisfaction after winning the Under-19 World Cup, rather we are taking this as an inspiration and will try our best and train hard to reach the next level.” Bangladesh have continued to grow as a cricketing force on the international stage since 2020 and will now look to achieve the rare feat of defending their ICC U19 Men’s CWC crown. Three players - Rakibul, Tanzim Sakib and Prantik Nabil - remain from that title-winning team, forming the nucleus of a strong squad for the 2022 edition in West Indies. Only Pakistan have managed to win the tournament back-to-back - in 2004 and 2006 - so a place in the ICC U19 Men’s CWC history books awaits Bangladesh if they can do the double. Even if they are unable to go all the way once again, it’s clear to see from the progress they have made as a cricketing nation in the last two years the sizeable impact that 2020’s triumph has had.

Sports Bulletin Report Dubai (UAE):-The ICC Under- 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup is now only two weeks away – and excitement and anticipation towards the prestigious event is rapidly building. Since the tournament became a bi-annual affair in 1998, we have seen some of the great modern day cricketers participate – while the first ever competition in 1988 introduced us to a series of cricketing legends. Here, we look at some of the biggest names who have taken part in this global cricketing showpiece over the years, with a player in this month’s ICC U19 Men’s CWC may well also being set to become that next superstar to take cricket by storm. 1988 The 1988 competition was the first of its kind and welcomed the likes of Brian Lara, Nasser Hussain, Mike Atherton and Sanath Jayasuriya to the cricketing world as Australian claimed the title. Lara captained the West Indies, who were defeated in the semi-finals by Pakistan, scoring 222 runs in the tournament, including a vital 64 against New Zealand. Pakistan themselves boasted the likes of former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, who went on to captain Pakistan and score over 20,000 runs in international cricket, and Mushtaq Ahmed who was the top wicket-taker at the tournament after snaring 19 victims. 1998 Ten years after the ICC U19 Men’s CWC’s inauguration, the 1998 tournament in South Africa showcased some more incredible West Indian talent. Chris Gayle was the top run scorer in the tournament with 364 runs, while Ramnaresh Sarwan was the joint-top wicket-taker with 16 alongside Zimbabwean Mluleki Nkala. Gayle in particular went on to have a stellar career in all formats of the game, scoring 25 one-day international centuries and playing over 100 Test Matches. 2000 The 2000 tournament in Sri Lanka saw India claim their first title and introduced the likes of Graeme Smith and Yuvraj Singh to the watching cricketing world. Singh was named Player of the Tournament, taking 12 wickets and scoring 203 runs as India beat hosts Sri Lanka by six wickets. Smith was the most prolific batter in the tournament with 348 runs, laying the foundations for an unforgettable career as he racked up 27 Test Match centuries at the top of the South African order. 2002 The 2002 tournament was played in New Zealand and saw Australia claim victory over South Africa in the final. Future Australia ace Cameron White top scored with 423 runs, while Hashim Amla – who went on to score over 50 international centuries – was in the South African side that finished second. The 2002 tournament also saw Ross Taylor for the first time, another star who went on to become an integral part of New Zealand’s team across all three formats. 2004 Bangladesh hosted the 2004 tournament, which saw Pakistan claim their first title by beating the West Indies in the final. Shikhar Dhawan was the top scorer with 505 runs, in a tournament which showcased his talent that the whole world would go on to see for many years after. He was not the only future big Indian name in that side, however, as Suresh Raina also featured before becoming a key player for India in white-ball cricket. Two future England captains also participated in this series as Alastair Cook captained England to the semi-finals – where they fell to a Denesh Ramdin-inspired West Indies side – while Eoin Morgan made his first appearance for Ireland in the 2004 competition. 2006 Pakistan went on to claim a second title in Colombo against their bitter rivals India in a competition that saw Eoin Morgan set the record for most runs scored overall in the ICC U19 Men’s CWC. And three more major Indian names were part of the side that reached the final, as Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja all announced themselves on the world stage. Jadeja took three wickets in the final, while rock-solid batter Pujara was named the Player of the Tournament with 349 runs. 2008 Malaysia hosted the 2008 competition, which saw India claim the title over South Africa in the final captained by a certain Virat Kohli. It is no surprise looking back that Kohli led India to the title given everything he’s achieved since, accumulating a batting average of above 50 in all three formats with 27 Test centuries and 43 more in ODIs. Tim Southee was named Player of the Tournament with 19 wickets, functioning as a precursor for the seamer’s glittering international career for New Zealand. 2010 Australia defeated Pakistan in 2010 but looking back, this was an edition of the ICC U19 Men’s CWC that introduced the cricketing world to some of England’s finest players. Ben Stokes, Joe Root and Jos Buttler all played in this competition, all of whom would go on to form part of the England side who thrillingly toppled New Zealand in a Super Over to lift the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2019. Josh Hazlewood was a part of the winning Australian side – taking four wickets in the final in an Australian side captained by Mitchell Marsh – while Babar Azam opened the batting for Pakistan and KL Rahul also featured for India. 2012 India clinched another title in 2012 in a tournament that announced the likes of Australian batter Travis Head to the world, who has since gone on to represent Australia at both Test and ODI level. Head recently scored a hundred against England in the current Ashes series while in the bowling department, left-arm seamer Reece Topley was the top wicket-taker after dismissing 19 victims. 2014 South Africa claimed the 2014 series, held in the UAE as their captain Aiden Markram went on to collect the Player of the Tournament award. Markram, who hit a match-winning 66 not out in the final against Pakistan, scored 370 runs across the tournament before going on to represent South Africa in all three formats. Seamer Kagiso Rabada was also a part of the Proteas side who lifted the trophy, before going on to take over 200 Test Match wickets at a stunning average of just 22.54. 2016 West Indies took the title in 2016 in a competition that saw the likes of Rishabh Pant for the first time on the international stage. Pant has gone on to become one of the most explosive players in the modern game, but he was unable to negotiate a West Indian attack led by Alzarri Joseph in the final – who has since gone on to be a key source of wickets for his country. It was also the first time the cricketing world were introduced to Sam Curran, whose left-arm seam deliveries have taken many wickets in an England shirt across all three formats. 2018 India again took the 2008 title, this time from Australia, but it is a Pakistani bowler who is best remembered for coming through this competition.  Shaheen Afridi, 21, one of the bright young stars of the modern day, has already played in almost 100 international matches for Pakistan and averages fewer than 25 in all three formats. And Indian batter Shubman Gill also starred at the 2018 edition of the competition, being named Player of the Tournament after scoring an impressive 372 runs. 2020 Bangladesh are the holders of the competition heading into this year’s ICC U19 Men’s CWC after they beat India in the final in South Africa. Akbar Ali was named Player of the Match, while Indian Yashasvi Jaiswal was the crowned Player of the Tournament after scoring 400 runs and taking three wickets. The ICC U19 Men’s CWC boasts a long-established history of nurturing the game’s brightest talent – who will be the next stars to burst onto the scene when the 2022 showpiece gets underway in the West Indies this month?

Aamir Ali Janjua DUBAHI (January 2, 2021):-Fans across the globe are counting down the days to the start of the 2022 ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup and the chance to watch the brightest young superstars in action. Sixteen teams will be bidding for glory as the very best U19 players in the world come up against each other on the biggest stage, with West Indies hosting the tournament for the first time ever. But while silverware will be the primary goal, the teams will also be looking to etch their names in the history books by beating some of the long-standing records set over the last 34 years. And ahead of the latest edition, here’s a look at some of the most impressive team records from the ICC U19 Men’s CWC since the tournament first came into being in 1988. Highest inning totals Australia U19s bludgeoned 480 for the loss of just six wickets against Kenya back in 2002 - with a run rate of 9.6 an over - in what can only be described as a stunning display in Dunedin. That innings score would be the second-highest in ODI history if the senior side hit it, and they weren't bad with the ball either, bowling Kenya out for 50 inside 22 overs. Craig Simmons starred that day, hitting 155, but Shaun Marsh was also outstanding. Marsh’s 125 runs from 81 balls along with George Bailey's blockbuster 56 from 26 balls were enough to make 20th January 2002 a historic day in Australian cricket. New Zealand are some way off with the second-highest total, but their score of 436 for four against Kenya in Christchurch during the 2018 tournament shouldn't be sniffed at either. India can claim the third-highest innings total thanks to their score of 425 for three against Scotland in Dhaka in 2004 while Sri Lanka hit 419 for four against Kenya in 2018. Lowest Inning totals A record no team will want to usurp in this year’s tournament is currently held by Scotland, who finished with the lowest innings total in ICC U19 Men’s CWC history back in 2004. Their total of 22 against Australia in Chittagong means they hold the unfortunate distinction of being the tournament's only team ever to possess a run rate below one an over. In response, Australia knocked off the 23 runs needed to win in 3.5 overs to secure a 10-wicket victory with 277 balls remaining as Cameron Huckett (four for seven) played a starring role. Canada, Japan, and Bangladesh are all tied for second place with totals of 41. Canada slumped to their total against South Africa in Auckland during the 2002 tournament, while Japan's performance came against India in Bloemfontein in the 2020 edition. Bangladesh suffered a similar fate in Kuala Lumpur in 2008, with South Africa bowling them out for 41 to win by 201 runs after skipper Wayne Parnell had helped his side to 242 for eight. Most tournament wins India became the only side to win four ICC U19 Men’s CWC when they came out on top at the start of 2018 in New Zealand and they have won 63 of their 83 matches overall. Their previous tournament wins came in 2000, 2008, and 2012, making them the most successful side in history having never missed a tournament in the competition’s history. Bangladesh won the competition in South Africa for the first time two years ago and now they will be looking to become only the second side to win back-to-back titles. The only team able to make that claim as of 2022 is Pakistan, who won the tournament in 2004 and 2006 and have the third most wins with 56 from 81 matches played. The second most successful team in the competition’s history is Australia, who won the first tournament as hosts before winning the 2002 and 2010 editions in New Zealand. They remain the only side to win on home soil and have 57 wins from 79 matches. England, South Africa, West Indies and Bangladesh all have one title to their name. That means only seven of the 16 teams competing at this year's competition have won it before. Group C will see at least one potential new winner progress to the Super League. Most consecutive wins and losses Unsurprisingly, India also hold the record for the most consecutive wins, registering 11 consecutive victories from their 2018 title triumph through to the 2020 edition. Australia sit in second place again, with nine wins in a row that includes their 2002 title success through to the 2004 edition, while four teams have eight consecutive wins. India have achieved that feat on three occasions while Bangladesh, Pakistan and Australia have also registered eight consecutive wins in the history of the ICC U19 Men’s CWC. The unwanted record for most consecutive losses belongs to Papua New Guinea, who hold the top two spots with 21 defeats in a row and 13 consecutive losses. That first record started on their tournament debut in 1998 and concluded in 2008, defeating Bermuda by seven wickets in Johor to put an end to their losing streak. Papua New Guinea also lost 13 in a row between the 2012 and 2018 editions of the tournament, while Namibia have lost 11 consecutively (2008-2014) and Canada lost 10 in a row (2002-2004).

Sports Bulletin Report DUBAHI (January 2, 2022):-The ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup has long been a nursery for the games’ future stars and the 2022 tournament will be no different. This month, the world’s most exciting teenagers will arrive en masse to the West Indies dreaming of runs, wickets and ultimately, glory. However, they will have to go some to break some of the individual records that have been amassed in the previous 13 editions. MOST RUNS There’s a familiar name at the top of the runs column but instead of plundering boundaries for England, like he does now, Eoin Morgan competed for Ireland at the ICC U19 Men’s CWC in both 2004 and 2006. He played 13 times across the two tournaments and underlined his class by scoring 606 runs at an average of 50.50, including two centuries. Pakistan’s Babar Azam, another global superstar, is second on the list with 585, while other familiar names in the top 10 include West Indies’ Kraigg Brathwaite (548), India’s Shikhar Dhawan (505) and Australia’s Shaun Marsh (471). Dhawan scored all 505 of his runs in just one tournament in 2004, the most by any one batter in one competition. HIGHEST INDIVIDUAL SCORE West Indies’ Donovan Pagon held this record for 16 years but in the space of just six days, it was broken twice. Pagon scored 176 against Scotland in 2002 in Dunedin and, again in New Zealand, the record fell in 2018. First, it was home favourite Jakob Bhula who set a new highest score, as he hit 10 fours and five sixes in a 144-ball 180 against Kenya. Kenya were back in action six days on and were again on the wrong side of history as Sri Lanka’s Hasitha Boyagoda his 28 fours in a 152-ball 191. MOST CENTURIES Most players only compete in a handful of ICC U19 Men’s CWC matches in their lives, so racking up hundreds can be difficult to do. England’s Jack Burnham and India’s Dhawan currently share the record, with three each. Burnham set his across six matches in 2016, while Dhawan’s three also came in one edition of the tournament in 2004. HIGHEST PARTNERSHIP Burnham had a stellar campaign in 2016 and he holds another record alongside current England Test batter Dan Lawrence. The pair put on a mighty 303 for the second wicket in England’s match against Fiji in 2016, a game they won by 299 runs. Lawrence was named Player of the Match for his superb 174, while Burnham was not far behind by making 148. New Zealand’s BJ Watling and Brad Wilson are second on this list, after combining for 273 against Scotland in 2004. MOST WICKETS The leading wicket-takers list is packed with familiar names.  England’s Tim Bresnan, an Ashes series winner, took 25 wickets in 13 matches between 2002 and 2004, while South Africa’s left-arm paceman Wayne Parnell snared 23 in just nine. But top of the order is Zimbabwe’s Wesley Madhevere, who competed in three tournaments in 2016, 2018 and the last in 2020. The spinner has played 18 times and has 28 wickets to his name, with best figures of five for 24, but the most wickets in one tournament belongs to Bangladesh’s Enamul Haque – who took 22 in 2004. That’s three more than Wayne Holdsworth (Australia, 1988), Mushtaq Ahmed (Pakistan, 1988), Riaz Afridi (Pakistan, 2004) and Reece Topley (England, 2012). Afridi is also one of four players, alongside his compatriot Anwar Ali, Afghanistan's Shafiqullah Ghafari and Ireland’s Greg Thompson, to take two five-wicket hauls. BEST BOWLING FIGURES Australia’s Lloyd Pope tore through England’s batting line-up in Queenstown in 2018, the leg-spinner taking an incredible eight for 35 from 9.4 overs. Pope is the only player in tournament history to take eight wickets in an innings, but there are a few with seven – including current New Zealand star Trent Boult, who took seven for 20 against Malaysia in 2008. MOST CATCHES One for the wicketkeepers, India’s Sarfaraz Khan has taken the most catches in tournament history by safely grabbing 13 in 12 matches. That’s one more than West Indies’ Narsingh Deonarine and three more than Zimbabwe’s Sean Ervine.

Aamir Ali Janjua DUBAI, UAE:-Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by 22 runs to book their place in the ACC U19 Asia Cup final. The first semi-final was played at the ICC Cricket Academy Ground in Dubai on Thursday. Chasing 148 to win, Pakistan were bowled out for 125 in the last over. Right-handed Ahmed Khan coming to bat at number-seven top-scored with 36 off 74, hitting one four. Mohammad Shehzad contributed a 75-ball 30 and struck one four. For Sri Lanka, Traveen Mathew was pick of the bowlers with match figures of four for 14 in 10 overs. Captain Dunith Wellalage picked three for 31. Earlier, Pakistan pacers led by Zeeshan Zameer dismantled the Sri Lanka top and middle-order. Zeeshan who took five wickets in the last-ball win over India, was once again the destroyer-in-chief. The right-armer took four wickets for 32 runs. Zeeshan received admirable support from pacers Ahmed and Awais Ali who took two wickets apiece for 26 and 28 runs, respectively. Sri Lanka were reeling at 70 for eight at one stage. A 47-run ninth-wicket stand between Matheesha Pathirana (31) and Yasiru Rodrigo (31 not out) took the score to 117. The last wicket pair added 30 more runs to take the score to 147 before Sri Lanka were bowled out with 31 balls in their 50-over quota left unused. Scores in brief: Sri Lanka U19 beat Pakistan U19 by 22 runs Sri Lanka U19 147 all out, 44.5 overs (Matheesha Pathirana 32, Yasiru Rodrigo 31; Zeeshan Zameer 4-32, Ahmed Khan 2-26, Awais Ali 2-28) Pakistan U19 125 all out, 49.3 overs (Ahmed Khan 36, Mohammad Shehzad 30; Traveen Mathew 4-14, Dunith Wellalage 3-31)

Islamabad (Sports Desk):-From 2010 onwards, a trend developed at the ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup as two sides dominated. Between them, India and Australia claimed three of the six titles, while finishing as losing finalists four times between them. Pakistan were the only other team to make it to more than one final in the decade, twice coming up short in the big game, but there were also some new names on the trophy as South Africa, the West Indies and Bangladesh all won the title for the first time. 2010 Having won two of the first four ICC U19 Men’s CWCs, Australia then went six years without reaching the final until the event in New Zealand. Spearheaded by the likes of Mitchell Marsh and Josh Hazlewood, they knocked out the hosts in the quarter-finals, Sri Lanka in the semis, and then Hazlewood’s four for 30 saw them to a 25-run win over Pakistan in the final. South Africa’s Dominic Hendricks was the star of the tournament, however, racking up 391 runs in just six innings at an average just a shade under 100 for a side that finished fifth, losing only to Sri Lanka at the quarter-final stage. England also went out at the quarter-final stage, despite a team featuring Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler. 2012 Two years on from lifting the trophy for a third time, Australia hosted a second tournament, getting all the way to the final before falling to India. India did not do it the easy way, scraping past a Pakistan side captained by Babar Azam by one wicket in the quarter-final as Harmeet Singh and Sandeep Sharma saw them home before the same duo helped set up a nine-run win over New Zealand in the semi-final. They then powered to a six-wicket win over Australia in the final, skipper Unmukt Chand making an unbeaten 111 to get the better of the hosts despite Will Bosisto’s 87 not out. Bosisto finished the tournament with 276 runs and was dismissed just once. Among others to shine were Bangladesh’s Anamul Haque who topped the run charts with 365, while Reece Topley was the top wicket-taker with 19 at an average of 9.10 for an England team that finished fifth. 2014 A new name appeared on the trophy in 2014 as South Africa emerged victorious in the UAE, led by captain and Player of the Series Aiden Markram. With 370 runs in six innings including a pair of centuries and an unbeaten 66 in the final, Markram was exceptional for a South Africa side that also featured Kagiso Rabada. They won every game emphatically, with Rabada’s six for 25 the pick of the performances in an 80-run win over Australia in the semi-final. Pakistan were their opponents in the final, with Imam-ul-Haq outstanding for them, but Rabada got him for 12 in the final and a total of 131 was never close to being enough. 2016 South Africa went from champions to being knocked in the first round as the 2016 edition provided shocks aplenty, none more so than Namibia beating their neighbours in the group stage. New Zealand were the other team upset in the groups in Bangladesh, beaten by Nepal, to set up some intriguing quarter-finals. In the end it was the West Indies and India who made it to the final, with Shimron Hetmyer captaining the former to their first title. Along the way they knocked out hosts Bangladesh in the semi-finals, despite 60 from Mehedy Hasan Miraz, the Player of the Tournament, and it was fast bowler Alzarri Joseph who was the key man for the side from the Caribbean with 13 wickets. 2018 India claimed a fourth title in 2018 thanks in large part to a dominant top order. Captained by opener Prithvi Shaw and with Shubman Gill coming in at three, it is no surprise that India thrived in New Zealand. They won every game convincingly, Australia’s eight-wicket defeat in the final as close as anyone came to troubling them. Gill was the star, with 372 runs, while Shaw made 264 and his opening partner Manjot Kalra joined the party with an unbeaten 101 in the final. As well as the Indian batters, this tournament also saw the emergence of Shaheen Shah Afridi, who took 12 wickets in just five matches for Pakistan, while Afghanistan produced their best result in an ICC U19 Men’s CWC as they got to the semi-finals before losing to Australia. 2020 The last edition of the ICC U19 Men’s CWC saw another team win the title for the first time as Bangladesh got the better of India in the final. Shoriful Islam, who has since received full international honours, and 2022 skipper Rakibul Hasan starred with the ball for Bangladesh as they knocked off South Africa and then New Zealand to reach the final. They faced an India team who had won every game with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal outstanding throughout. He top-scored for India in every game on his way to 400 runs and the Player of the Tournament award, but his 88 in the final was not enough in a three-wicket loss for the four-time champions. Others to shine were Indian spinner Ravi Bishnoi who took 17 wickets including four in the final to finish as the top wicket-taker, while Jayden Seales, who has since gone onto star at Test level for the West Indies, earned a spot in the Team of the Tournament for his fast bowling. The event also saw Japan and Nigeria make their debuts in their first ICC World Cups.

Islamabad (Sports Desk):-Eoin Morgan is best known for leading England to ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 glory but after scoring a hatful of runs when representing Ireland, he is the leading run scorer in ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cups. Eoin Morgan is best known for leading England to ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 glory but after scoring a hatful of runs when representing Ireland, he is the leading run scorer in ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cups. Morgan would become Ireland’s youngest ever senior international but before that he starred in both the 2004 and 2006 ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cups. Morgan’s first World Cup game came against the West Indies and batting at No.3 he managed just five runs from 16 balls as Ireland came agonisingly close to an upset. The men in green were six runs short of chasing down the West Indies’ 265 for eight with Kevin O’Brien’s 95 not enough to get them over the line. Morgan fared little better next time out, scoring 12 in a heavy eight-wicket defeat to Pakistan before misfiring against Papua New Guinea, as he was trapped lbw for 11 off 18, albeit in a winning cause. He cashed in against Uganda, notching a century and finishing with 117 off 129 balls as Ireland’s 329 for nine proved to be far too many for their African opponents. Morgan showcased his all-round ability against Canada, first making 44 off 57 balls as Ireland posted 265 for nine. He was then named player of the match after taking three catches and two for 26 from ten overs with his right arm medium bowling – something he would leave behind as he headed into the senior ranks. Morgan was run out for 14 against Bangladesh as his side were bowled out for 141 and went on to lose by eight wickets. But he rounded off his first tournament with 65 from 69 balls against Australia in the plate semi-final, top scoring for Ireland as they went down by 49 runs to a side captained by Tim Paine. Morgan finished with 268 runs from seven innings with an average of 38.28 but would kick on to greater heights when he returned to the international stage two years later as Ireland captain. It was an unlucky 13 for Morgan to start with at the 2006 edition in Sri Lanka as Ireland collapsed to 97 all out in reply to Zimbabwe’s 215 for seven in their opener. Three days later and Morgan chipped in with 28 but was unable to prevent his side losing a nail biter by four runs against an England side led by Moeen Ali. Morgan hit his straps with 86 off 107 against Nepal the following day but his side were still beaten by 60 runs having conceded 234. A century followed against New Zealand on Valentine’s Day as his Ireland side crossed the 300-barrier but despite Morgan’s 124 off 126 balls, his side lost by three wickets. After bowling out Namibia for 115, Ireland won by six wickets with Morgan contributing 27 before he made 60 not out to steer his side to another victory by the same margin as they chased down 166 to beat Uganda to round off the campaign. Morgan’s tally of 338 runs from six matches made him the second highest run scorer of the tournament, only 11 behind India’s Cheteshwar Pujara, and his combined haul of 606 runs across the two tournaments makes him the most prolific youngster with the bat. Morgan may have shown his prowess with the ball as a teenager, but it is Zimbabwe’s Wesley Madhevere who is the leading wicket-taker at ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cups. The off spinner is no slouch with the bat, often opening the innings for his country, making him a prolific all-rounder. A prodigious talent, Madhevere featured at the 2016 ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup aged just 15. And in keeping with the phrase, ‘if you are good enough, you’re old enough’, Madhevere kicked off his tournament by taking five for 24 to help dismiss Fiji for 81. Madhevere took another wicket in the 129-run defeat to England next up, recording impressive figures of one for 53 from his ten overs given his opponents racked up 288 for four from their innings. He was back in the wickets with two for 48 in the narrow two-run defeat against the West Indies before chipping in with one for 40 in the six-wicket win over Canada. Another wicket came in the heavy victory over South Africa before he capped a fine tournament at such a young age with a miserly spell of none for 24 off ten overs in the five-wicket defeat to Afghanistan. With ten wickets from his first tournament at 21.20, Madhevere returned in 2018 and again started with a bang. He bagged the player of the match award after taking three for 19 to help bowl Papua New Guinea out for 90 before smashing 53 not out from 44 balls to deliver a ten-wicket triumph. Madhevere chipped in with another wicket in the defeat to Australia before the ten-wicket reverse to India was followed by figures of two for 11 from six overs with the ball and 47 with the bat in the win over Namibia. He missed out with both bat and ball against Sri Lanka before bouncing back in phenomenal style, taking four for 24 and smashing 93 in the 138-run win over Canada to round off the tournament. Madhevere was named as the ICC’s rising star of the tournament after taking ten wickets at 12.80 and returned for his third consecutive U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2020. However, it took him until the third game against Scotland to pick up his first wicket, with one more coming in a win over Canada before he came to the fore in the defeat to England with four for 42 from ten overs. Madhevere finished off with two for 18 against Scotland in the 11th place play-off to take his tally to 28 and leave him as the man to beat when it comes to the world’s best young bowlers.