Teams announced for U19 WC

All 16 squads have now been named ahead of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2012, which takes place in Queensland, Australia, from August 11-26. Australia will defend the title it won in Lincoln, New Zealand, in 2010, and will not only aim to win the trophy for the fourth time in nine events, it will also try to match Pakistan’s effort of winning back-to-back titles.
Pakistan won the tournaments in 2004 and 2006 in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, respectively.
India has also won the tournament twice – in 2002 in Sri Lanka under Mohamamd Kaif and in 2008 under the leadership of Virat Kohli – while England’s Owais Shah put his hands on the trophy in Johannesburg when South Africa staged the event in 1998.
The Australia side, which will take on Pakistan in three 50-over matches to be played in the lead up to the tournament from July 29-August 3 on the Gold Coast, includes South Australia’s top order batsman Travis Head, who played all his four first-class matches this season and scored 219 runs, and New South Wales’ middle-order batsman Kurtis Patterson, who scored a smashing 157 against South Australia on his debut at the SCG in November last year.
Pakistan, which also reached the finals of the inaugural event in Australia in 1988 and then again in 2010 in New Zealand only to lose on both the occasions to Australia, has retained the same side that was declared joint winner with India after their Asia Cup final in Kuala Lumpur on July 1 ended in a tie.
The side will be led by top order batsman Babar Azam who has played four first-class matches in which he has scored 106 runs. Babar is the only first-class player in the side that includes wrist spinner Usman Qadir, son of Pakistan’s legendary leg-spinner Abdul Qadir, who took 236 wickets in 67 Tests and 132 wickets in 10 ODIs. Usman’s elder brother Sulaman Qadir was also a member of the Pakistan U19 side that won the event in Sri Lanka in 2004.
India will be skippered by Delhi’s opener Unmukt Chand who has scored 738 runs in 11 first-class matches. Other members of the side who have played first-class cricket include Tamil Nadu’s top order batsman Baba Aparajith, left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh and opener Akhil Herwadkar (both Mumbai), right-arm fast bowler Sandeep Sharma and opener Manan Vohra (both Punjab) and Dehli’s left-arm spinner Vikas Mishra.
The England side boasts 10 cricketers who have played first-class cricket. The 1998 winner will be led by Kent’s all-rounder Adam Ball, who has played nine first-class matches in which he has scored 184 runs and claimed 15 wickets.
Other England players to have played first-class cricket in the English County Championships in the UK include wicketkeeper Ben Foakes of Essex, fast bowler Daniel Bell-Drummond of Kent, Brett Hutton of Nottinghamshire, right-arm fast bowler Anesh Kapil of Worcestershire, Derbyshire’s left-arm spinner Tom Knight, Somerset’s fast bowler Craig Overton, Craig’s twin brother Jamie, Essex’s left-arm fast bowler Reece Topley and Sam Wood of Nottinghamshire.
The West Indies has named Test opener Kraigg Brathwaite in its side. The talented opener will be hoping to produce some strong performances with the bat in Queensland which will definitely help him regain his lost place in the national side. Brathwaite has played in nine Tests since making his debut against Pakistan last year.
Also in the West Indies’ side is Trinidad’s left-arm fast bowler Derone Davis who is a cousin of West Indies stars Darren and Dwayne Bravo.
Final squads:
Afghanistan – Mohammad Javed (captain), Afsar Khan, Aftab Alam, Fareed Malik, Hashmatullah, Mohammad Yamin, Mohibullah, Najibullah, Nasir Jamal, Noorulhaq, Rahim Mangal, Rashid Khan, Sayed Shiraz, Shabir Ahmed and Younas Khan.
Australia – Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, William Bosisto, Meyrick Buchanan, Harry Conway, Sam Hain, Travis Head, Joel Paris, Kurtis Patterson, Jimmy Peirson, Gurinder Sandhu, Mark Steketee, Nick Stevens, Ashton Turner and Jack Wildermuth.
Bangladesh – Anamul Haque (captain), Abu Haider, Abu Javed, Asif Ahmed, Dewan Sabbir, Liton Das, Al-Amin, Naeem Islam Jnr, Noor Hossain, Salman Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Nurul Hasan, Soumya Sarkar and Taskin Ahmed.
England – Adam Ball (captain), Shozair Ali, Daniel Bell-Drummond, Ben Collins, Alex Davies, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes, Brett Hutton, Aneesh Kapil, Tom Knight, Jamie Overton, Craig Overton, Reece Topley, Kishen Velani and Sam Wood.
India – Unmukt Chand (captain), Baba Aparajith, Prashant Chopra, Sandipan Das, Akhil Herwadkar, Rush Kalaria, Vikas Mishra, Akshdeep Nath, Kamal Passi, Smit Patel (wicketkeeper), Mohsin Sayyed, Sandeep Sharma, Harmeet Singh, Manan Vohra and Vijay Zol
Ireland – George Dockrell (captain), Scott Campbell, Peter Chase, Adam Coughlan, Shane Getkate, Ryan Hunter, Tyrone Kane, Robin Kelly, Andrew McBrine, Graeme McCarter, Barry McCarthy, Alistair Shields, Patrick Tice, Jason Van der Merwe and Ben Wylie
Namibia – Steven Baard (captain), Justin Baard, Luke Bolton, Jano Coetzee, Christopher Coombe, Jason Davidson, MP Delport, Andre Engelbrecht, Gerhard Erasmus, Zhivago Groenewald, Malan Kruger, Pelham Myburgh, Xander Pitchers, Wian Van Vuuren and Bredell Wessels.
Nepal – Pradeep Airee, Prithu Baskota, Naresh Budhaayer, Ramnaresh Giri, Mahamad Hasim Ansari, Bhuban Karki, Krishna Karki, Avinash Karn, Saurabh Khanal, Gopal Singh, Rahul Kumar Vishwakarma, Rajesh Pulani, Subash Khakurel, Sagar Pun and Fajlur Rahman.
New Zealand – Will Young (captain), Joe Carter, Sean Davey, Michael Davidson, Jacob Duffy, Cameron Fletcher, Ben Horne, Connor Neynens, Edward Nuttall, Robert O’Donnell, Matthew Quinn, Ish Sodhi, Theo van Woerkom, Henry Walsh, and Arnie Yugaraja.
Pakistan – Babar Azam (captain), Azizullah, Ehsan Adil, Faraz Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Mir Hamza, Saad Ali, Salman Afridi, Sami Aslam, Shahid Ilyas, Umar Waheed, Usman Qadir, Zafar Gohar and Zia-ul-Haq.
Papua New Guinea – Chris Kent (captain), Charles Amini, Dogodo Bau, Sese Bau, Nigel Boge, Albert Geita, Raymond Haoda, Ratu Maha, Kabua Vagi Morea, Alei Nao, Lista Oala, Vagi Oala, Lega Slake, Toua Tom and Norman Vanua.
Scotland – Paddy Sadler (captain), Aman Bailwal, Freddie Coleman, Matt Cross, Henry Edwards, Nick Farrar, Gavin Main, Tom McBride, Scott McElnea, Ross McLean, Sam Page, Peter Ross, Kyle Smith, Ruaidhri Smith and Andrew Umeed.
South Africa – Chad Bowes (captain), Gihahn Cloete, Murray Coetzee, Theunis de Bruyn, Quinton de Kock, Corné Dry, Rabian Engelbrecht, Jan Frylinck, Solo Nqweni, Shaylin Pillay, David Rhoda, Diego Rosier, Calvin Savage, Prenelan Subrayen and Lizaad Williams.
Sri Lanka – Sanitha De Mel (captain), Amila Aponso, Nirosha Dickwella, Anuk Fernando, Shehan Fernando, Angelo Jayasinghe, Tharindu Kaushal, Ranitha Liyanaarachchi, Lahiru Madushanka, Chamodh Pathirana, Jason Perera, Pulina Taranga, Kasun Vidura, Pabasara Waduge and Sandun Weerakkody.
West Indies – Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Anthony Alleyne, Sunil Ambris, Ronsford Beaton, John Campbell, Derone Davis, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Akeal Hosein, Jerome Jones, Keiron Joseph, Steven Katwaroo, Amir Khan, Kyle Mayers and Marquino Mindley.
Zimbabwe – Matthew Bentley (captain), Kyle Bowie, Ryan Burl, Atishsinh Chouhan, Kieran Geyle, Kevin Kasuza, Malcolm Lake, Campbell Light, Luke Jongwe, Wellington Masakadza, Luke Masasire, Nyasha Mayavo, Curthbert Musoko, Andre Odendaal, and Peacemore Zimwa.