Players’ power caused Pakistan U19 debacle

By Ahmed Jatt

KARACHI: Pakistan cricket and controversy are correlative and this time players’ power proved the bone of contention of a searing controversy as Pakistan U19 cricket team displayed worst performance in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2012 concluded recently in Australia with India U19 clinching the title.

Five U19CWC players knocking at international cricket

By Adrian Meredith

VICTORIA, Australia (TheSportsNext) August 27, 2012: I picked these five young cricketers as my best players, of the top teams, in the tournament, but, more than that, these are five players who I think could and should play for their country right now.

ICC U19 World Cup 2012 Awards

By Adrian Meredith

Anamul Haque of Bangladesh U19

VICTORIA, Australia (TheSportsNext) August 27, 2012: I disagree with William Bosisto being named as player of the ICC U19 World Cup 2012. Scoring 276 runs at an average of 276.00 and at a strike rate of 55.15 do not make good reading for me - not for a one day tournament. He was only 5th on the run scoring list.

ICC stops Babar Azam in Australia

By Ubaid Awan

KARACHI (TheSportsNext) August 26, 2012: Pakistan U19 captain Babar Azam has been stopped by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after the ICC U19 World Cup 2012 culminated in Australian city of Townsville on Sunday.

India U19 clinch ICC U19 World Cup 2012 title

By Nadene Smith

TOWNSVILLE, Australia (TheSportsNext) August 26, 2012: Indian young cricketers clinched the ICC U19 World Cup 2012 title on Sunday when opening batsman Unmukt Chand scored an unbeaten century to defeat Australia U19 at Tony Ireland Stadium in Townsville.

Best players of ICC U19 World Cup 2012 by country

By Adrian Meredith

VICTORIA, Australia: The ICC U19 World Cup 2012 was culminated on Sunday with Indian youth clinching the title with a comfortable six-wicket victory over Australia U19 at Tony Ireland Stadium in Townsville.

Following is a selection of top performers by country in the ICC U19 World Cup 2012 by Adrian Meredith.

Shocking U19 team show stuns selector Iqbal Qasim

By AM Khan

LAHORE (TheSportsNext) August 24, 2012: Chief Selector at Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Iqbal Qasim, was shocked over Pakistan junior team's performance in the ICC Under19 World Cup currently in progress in Australian cities of Townsville and Brisbane.

Best players in ICC U19 World Cup 2012

By Adrian Meredith

VICTORIA, Australia (TheSportsNext) August 19, 2012: The ICC U19 World Cup 2012 has entered final stages with Australia already booking berth in the final of the tournament while India and New Zealand will battle it out in the second semi-final scheduled on Wednesday.

Adrian Meredith takes a look at the best young players who showcased their exuberance and cricketing skills in the ICC U19 World Cup 2012.

ICC U19 World Cup: Afghanistan win battle of minnows

By Nadene Smith

BUDERIM, Australia (TheSportsNext) August 15, 2012: The Afghanistan U19 cricket team won the battle of minnows at the 2012 ICC U19 World Cup on Wednesday when they defeated Scotland U19 by 10 runs in the Group B match played at John Blanck Oval in Buderim.

ICC U19 World Cup: South Africa storm into quarter-finals

By Nadene Smith

BRISBANE (TheSportsNext) August 15, 2012: South Africa U19 defeated Sri Lanka U19 by four wickets at Peter Burge Oval in Brisbane to qualify into quarter-final stage of the 2012 ICC U19 World Cup here Wednesday.

Batting first, Sri Lanka U19 were bowled out for paltry 150 runs from 37.4 overs with DHAP Tharanga (50 not out) proving to be the lone fighter. Corne Dry captured four wickets for 16 runs for South Africa and was declared Man of the Match.

ICC U19 World Cup: Ireland edge Nepal out by 10 runs

By Nadene Smith

TOWNSVILLE, Australia (TheSportsNext) August 15, 2012: Ireland U19 defeated Nepal U19 by 14 runs in their Group A match of the 2012 ICC U19 World Cup played at Endeavour Park in Townsville on Wednesday.

ICC U19 World Cup: Four matches to be played today

By Ubaid Awan

KARACHI (TheSportsNext) August 11, 2012: Indian U19 cricket team will start their quest for the ICC U19 World Cup title on Sunday with the match against a strong looking West Indies U19 at Tony Ireland Stadium in Townsville.

In another match, England U19 would look to rise from their opening day defeat to the hands of their Aussie opponents when they will take on neighbouring Ireland U19 at Endeavour Park in Townsville.

Australia U19 team: Who Will Shine at ICC U19 World Cup?

By Adrian Meredith

VICTORIA, Australia (TheSportsNext) August 11, 2012: History says that the Under 19 World Cup plays a big role in the future of players who are involved in it. About half of the players who end up representing their country had previously played for their country at Under 19 level - the other half presumably mature a bit later. And over 90% of them will end up playing at first class level. So what can we expect from these players?

ICC U19 World Cup: Pakistan beat Afghanistan by 109 runs

By Nadene Smith

BUDERIM, Australia (TheSportsNext) August 11, 2012: Gutsy half centuries by Babar Azam and Mohammad Nawaz eased Pakistan U19 cricket team into a 109 runs victory over Afghanistan U19 in their opening match of the 2012 ICC U19 World Cup at John Blanck Oval in Buderim on Saturday.

ICC U19 World Cup: Sami Aslam blasts Pakistan U19 to 8wkts win

By Nadene Smith

BRISBANE (TheSportsNext) August 8, 2012: Pakistan U19 cricket team returned to winning ways on Wednesday when they defeated Papua New Guinea U19 in a one-sided 2012 ICC U19 World Cup warm-up match by eight wickets at Norman Gray Oval in Brisbane.

ICC U19 World Cup: England beat Pakistan by 5wkts in warm-up

By Nadene Smith

BRISBANE (TheSportsNext) August 7, 2012: England U19 cricket team defeated Pakistan U19 cricket team by five wickets in their warm up match played at Brisbane on Tuesday.

Batting first, Pakistan scored daunting 281 runs for the loss of six wickets from their 50 overs, thanks mainly to a gritty century by Saad Ali (100 from 92 – 8 fours, 1 six) while Imam-ul-Haq (79 from 116- 4 fours) also exhibited good form with the bat. A late flurry of boundaries by Usman Qadir (31 not out from 18 – 3 sixes) and Salman Afridi (22 not out from 19 – 1 four) helped the team to a formidable total.

Sami Aslam turns focus to ICC U19 World Cup

By Ahmed Jutt

KARACHI (TheSportsNext) August 4, 2012: The young opening batsman of Pakistan U19 cricket team, Sami Aslam, said Saturday that after defeating Australia in their backyard his focus was on performing exceedingly well in the upcoming ICC U19 Cricket World Cup.

He was talking exclusively with TheSportsNext here Saturday.

Pakistan U19 beat Australia U19 2-1 in Youth ODI series

By Nadene Smith

GOLD COAST, Australia (TheSportsNext) August 3, 2012: Australia U19 cricket team defeated Pakistan U19 by eight wickets in the final Youth One Day International but the Pakistani colts still won the three-match series by 2-1.

Umar Gul recalls his U19 World Cup turnaround

By Tasawwar Abbas

LAHORE (TheSportsNext) August 2, 2012: Pakistan’s number one fast bowler Umar Gul said Wednesday that the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup had turned around his career and resurrected his international career when he was on brink of leaving the gentlemen’s game.

Umar Gul is Pakistan’s most successful fast bowler in Twenty20 cricket and has been equally successful in One Day International cricket and was the best bowler in the ICC World Twenty20 2009.