POTCHEFSTROOM: Pakistan U19 team hit the ground running a day after arriving in Potchefstroom as the team underwent a strenuous training and practice session at the North West University Sports Village on Thursday, says a PCB press release.
The team is on a high after convincing wins in the two warm-up games against Nigeria and Sri Lanka during their five-day stay in Pretoria. They start their ICC U19 World Cup campaign with a match against Scotland in the NWU Sports Village vicinity on Sunday (tomorrow).
The high altitude of the Potchefstroom venue provides a different challenge to the players and the squad spent nearly three hours in a bid to acclimatise to the conditions.
Head coach Ijaz Ahmed gave a detailed account of the team’s preparations as they head into the most prestigious age-group ICC event.
Ijaz Ahmed said: “Our priority is to top our group and stay in the city as the team which finishes second would have to travel to Johannesburg. So we want to stay here, get totally familiarised with the conditions and progress to the quarter-final and beyond in Potchefstroom.
“The players have had a great camp at the NCA (National Cricket Academy) and they have been working hard since we have landed in South Africa. Now, the time to deliver has arrived!”
Pakistan will also train on Saturday (today) before their game against Scotland. Their second match is against Zimbabwe on January 22 followed by the third and final group match against Bangladesh on the 24th.
Pakistan squad: Rohail Nazir (captain and wicketkeeper), Abbas Afridi (Peshawar), Abdul Wahid Bangalzai (Quetta), Amir Ali (Larkana), Amir Khan (Peshawar), Arish Ali Khan (Karachi), Fahad Munir (Lahore), Haider Ali (vice-captain), Qasim Akram (Lahore), Mohammad Haris (Peshawar), Mohammad Huraira (Sialkot), Mohammad Irfan Khan (Lahore), Mohammad Shehzad (Multan), Mohammad Wasim Jnr (North Waziristan), Tahir Hussain (Multan).