LAHORE: Pakistan’s Under-19 women’s cricket team is set to embark on their ICC Women’s U-19 T20 World Cup journey as they face the United States of America in their opening encounter on Saturday at the Johor Cricket Academy Oval Malaysia.
Led by the promising Komal Khan Pakistan squad enters the 16-team tournament with a mix of recent experience, having completed their warm-up fixtures against Nigeria and Australia. The team secured an 11-run victory against Nigeria but fell short against Australia, losing by 54 runs under the DLS method.
The tournament structure places Pakistan in Group B alongside England and Ireland, whom they will face on January 20 and 22 respectively. The format ensures that three teams from each of the four groups will advance to the Super Six stage, with the bottom-ranked teams playing for final positions.
The team’s preparation has been comprehensive, including a nine-day intensive training camp at Karachi’s Hanif Mohammad High-Performance Centre. Under the guidance of head coach Mohsin Kamal, a former Test cricketer, and his coaching staff including Muhammad Hanif Malik and former Pakistan Women’s international Nahida Khan, the team has focused on honing their skills through scenario-based training.
The Super Six stage will see qualified teams carrying forward their wins, points, and Net Run-rate from matches against fellow qualifying teams from their groups. The tournament will culminate with semi-finals on January 31, followed by the final on February 2.