Dubai, Feb 6: Defending champions India and two-time former winners Pakistan are favourites to progress to the Super League quarterfinals from A of the ICC U-19 World Cup which will be staged across the United Arab Emirates from Feb 14 to March one.
India, to be led by Maharastra’s stylish top-order batter Vijay Zol, beside Australia, are the most successful aspect having won the tournament thrice. Mohammad Kaif impressed india to the title in 2000 in Sri Lanka whereas Virat Kohli diode from the front in Malaysia once India regained the title in 2008. The Indian colts won the title once more in 2012 in Australia.
Pakistan, however, stay the only country to possess won the tournament back-to-back. Khalid Latif led Pakistan to the title in 2004 in Bangladesh whereas Sarfraz Ahmed’s boys retained the crown once the event was staged in 2006 in Sri Lanka.
This month, Pakistan are diode by Lahore’s opener Sami Aslam within the green shirts’ quest to hitch India and Australia because the solely sides to possess won the tournament 3 times every.
India and Pakistan can go head to go at the port International Cricket construction Feb 15 in a very match expected to choose that aspect super the cluster.
Also in group A are Scotland and New Guinea Papua.
“As the defensive champions, India are marked from the start because the team to beat. The tournament format is extremely exciting and excluding their arch-rivals Pakistan, India even have 2 competent and motivated sides in Scotland and PNG to modify. whereas it’s always special and different to play against Pakistan as hostile playing against anyone else, we can’t feel any added pressure therein game,” said India captain Zol.
“Having beaten them within the recent U-19 Asia final in UAE recently, we feel we could have the psychological come on that match. we ar paying a lot of attention to detail and above all focusing on basic skills like fielding and running between the wickets.”
Talking concerning the India clash, Sami, who, like Zol, are appearing in his second World Cup, said: “India is often tough, thus we’ll have to be at our best and Inshallah can qualify powerfully for the Super League. Before the Asia final, we were on a winning streak of concerning twenty matches and conjointly beat India.
“So we’re upbeat about our chances not only in our high-profile 1st game against India, but beyond that as well. Our strengths, that are our batting and spin bowling, have always served us well in the UAE.”