The exciting ACC U19 Asia Cup 2024 is all set to begin on November 29, in the cricketing hubs of Dubai and Sharjah. The tournament brings together eight teams, divided into two competitive groups, and serves as a platform for young cricketers to showcase their talent on an international stage. With an exciting mix of seasoned youth players and fresh prospects, the championship is expected to deliver thrilling encounters.
This tournament has long been a breeding ground for future stars of Asian cricket, with many players graduating to their senior national teams. As such, the 2024 edition carries the promise of identifying new names who could potentially dominate global cricket in the years to come.
Fixtures and format: A high-stakes contest
Spanning 15 ODIs, the competition will feature action-packed matches at two iconic venues: the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. These venues, known for hosting major cricket events, add a touch of grandeur to the tournament.
Group A will see defending champions Bangladesh competing against Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Nepal in a bid to retain their crown. Meanwhile, Group B features fierce rivalries, with India battling against Pakistan, Japan, and the UAE.
The top two teams from each group will progress to the semifinals, scheduled for December 6, paving the way for a high-octane final on December 8 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. With the stakes high and the competition fierce, every match will be crucial in determining the eventual champions.
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Key details
- Group Stage: November 29 – December 4
- Semifinals: December 6
- Final: December 8
Squads of all teams
- Bangladesh: Al Fahad, Ashrafuzzaman Barenava, Azizul Hakim Tamim (c), Debasish Sarkar Deba, Farid Hasan Faysal, Iabal Hasan Emon, Maruf Maidha, Rafi Uzzaman Rafi, Rifat Beg, Rizan Hossan, Saad Islam Razin, Samiun Basir Ratul, Shihab James, Zawad Abrar (vc).
- India: Ayush Mhatre, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, C Andre Siddarth, Mohd. Amaan (C), Kiran Chormale (VC), Pranav Pant, Harvansh Singh Pangalia (WK), Anurag Kawde (WK), Hardik Raj, Md. Enaan, KP Karthikeya, Samarth Nagaraj, Yudhajit Guha, Chetan Sharma, Nikhil Kumar.
- Nepal: Hemant Dhami (c), Arjun Kumal (vc), Dilshad Ali, Naren Bhatta, Roshan Biswakarma, Yubaraj Khatri, Ranjit Kumar, Uttam Magar (wk), Bipin Mahato, Dayanand Mandal, Aprajit Poudel, Naren Saud, Unish Thakuri, Abhiskeh Tiwari, Aakash Tripathi, Mayan Yadav, Rajesh Yadav, Santosh Yadav.
- Afghanistan: Mehboob Khan (c/wk), Hamza Alikhil (wk), Uzair Khan, Faisal Khan, Barakatullah Ibrahimzai, Ezatullah Barikzai, Aziz Miakhil, Nazeef Amiri, Abdul Aziz, Nasratullah Nooristani, Khatir Stanikzai, Fahim Khewawal, Hafeez Zadran, Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, Naseer Khan Maroofkhil.
- Pakistan: Saad Baig (c/wk), Mohammad Ahmed, Haroon Arshad, Tayyab Arif, Mohammad Huzefa, Naveed Ahmed Khan, Hassan Khan, Shahzaib Khan, Usman Khan, Faham-ul-Haq, Ali Raza, Mohammad Riazullah, Abdul Subhan, Farhan Yousuf, Umar Zaib.
- Japan: Koji Hardgrave Abe (c), Charles Hinze, Kazuma Kato-Stafford, Hugo Kelly, Timothy Moore, Skyler Nakayama-Cook, Daniel Panckhurst, Nihar Parmar, Aditya Phadke, Aarav Tiwari, Kai Wall, Yuto Yageta, Kiefer Yamamoto-Lake, Max Yonekawa-Lynn.
- UAE: Aayan Khan (c), Aryan Saxena, Akshat Rai, Abdullah Tarique, Aliasgar Shums, Ethan D’Souza, Fasiur Rahman, Harsh Desai, Karan Dhiman, Muddit Agarwal, Noorullah Ayoubi, Rachit Ghosh, Rayan Khan, Uddish Suri and Yayin Kiran.
- Sri Lanka: Vihas Thewmika (c), Pulindu Perera, Thanuja Rajapakse, Dulnith Sigera, Lakvin Abeysinghe, Vimath Dinsara, Ramiru Perera, Kavija Gamage, Viran Chamuditha, Praveen Maneesha, Yenula Dewthusa, Sharujan Shanmuganathan, Newton Ranjithkumar, Kugadas Mathulan, Geethika de Silva.