ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup to kick-off tomorrow

India will aim for their ninth U19 Asia Cup title as they begin their title defense against arch-rivals Pakistan in a Group A match on Saturday, November 30, at the Dubai International Stadium. The tournament, featuring eight teams divided into two groups of four, will be played in a 50-over format.

The U19 Asia Cup serves as a crucial platform for emerging cricketing talents in the continent and promises an exciting competition. The tournament kicks off on November 29, with the final scheduled for December 8.

India is the most successful team in the history of the U19 Asia Cup, having won the title eight times in 10 editions. Afghanistan has won the tournament once, while Bangladesh emerged as champions in the most recent edition. Pakistan also has a title, sharing it with India as joint winners in the 2012 edition.

The Indian team will be led by Uttar Pradesh middle-order batter Mohammed Amaan, with his deputy leader Kiran Chormale. The squad includes 17-year-old Mumbai batter Ayush Mhatre, who impressed selectors with his stellar performances in the domestic circuit. It also features 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who recently made headlines as the youngest player to secure an Indian Premier League contract. Other notable players include Tamil Nadu’s C. Andre Siddarth, Kerala leg-spinner Mohammed Enaan, and Karnataka batters Hardik Raj and Samarth Nagaraj.

India Squad: Ayush Mhatre, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, C Andre Siddarth, Mohd. Amaan (c), Kiran Chormale (vc), Pranav Pant, Harvansh Singh Pangalia, Anurag Kawde, Hardik Raj, Md. Enaan, KP Karthikeya, Samarth Nagaraj, Yudhajit Guha, Chetan Sharma, Nikhil Kumar

Here’s the schedule of the tournament: