Pakistan have kept faith with the group currently contesting the Under-19 Asia Cup, confirming middle-order batter Farhan Yousaf as captain for next month’s World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia. The selectors have made just one tweak: right-arm quick Umar Zaib replaces left-arm spinner Mohammad Huzaifa in the 15-strong touring party.
“We felt the lads deserved another crack together,” junior selection convenor Sohail Tanvir said after the squad was signed off. “Umar Zaib gives us an extra yard of pace on truer southern-African pitches, while Huzaifa remains very much in our plans.” Huzaifa shifts to a five-man reserve list that also features Abdul Qadir, Farhanullah, Hassan Khan and Ibtisam Azhar.
Yousaf, 18, is already leading Pakistan at the Asia Cup in Dubai, where his side meet India in Sunday’s final. Speaking before training, he kept the message simple: “Momentum matters, but we start from scratch in Harare. The boys know that.”
Key seamer Abdul Subhan – the tournament’s top wicket-taker so far – echoed his captain’s caution. “Conditions will be different again. We can’t just bank on what’s worked in the Gulf,” he told local media.
Pakistan open their World Cup campaign on 15 January and have been drawn in Group C alongside England, Scotland and hosts Zimbabwe. All three matches are scheduled for Harare Sports Club, a ground known to offer early seam movement before flattening out – an assessment borne out by former Zimbabwe quick Tinashe Panyangara, who warned, “If you don’t hit that length, you go.”
Before the main event, the squad will tune up in a tri-series against Zimbabwe and Afghanistan from 25 December to 6 January. Head coach Sabih Azhar described the trip as “ideal prep – competitive games, similar pitches, no hiding places.”
Pakistan squad: Farhan Yousaf (capt), Usman Khan (vice-capt), Abdul Subhan, Ahmed Hussain, Ali Hasan Baloch, Ali Raza, Daniyal Ali Khan, Hamza Zahoor (wk), Huzaifa Ahsan, Momin Qamar, Mohammad Sayyam, Mohammad Shayan (wk), Niqab Shafiq, Sameer Minhas, Umar Zaib.
Non-travelling reserves: Abdul Qadir, Farhanullah, Hassan Khan, Ibtisam Azhar, Mohammad Huzaifa.
