Academy team leaves for Bangladesh

A 15-member Pakistan Academy team leaves for Bangladesh today on a three-week tour to play two four-day games and take part in a triangular tournament.

Captained by the 21-year old Fawad Alam from Karachi, a former U-19 world cup winner, and coached by former Pakistan fast bowler Aaqib Javed, the tour reciprocates the Bangladesh team's visit to Pakistan last year.

And as the domestic season draws to a close, the tour provides an opportunity for some of the country's brightest young starts to prove themselves at higher levels.

"The players that have been selected have all performed exceptionally on the domestic circuit this season and this tour gives them a chance to play against different opposition on a different pitch and in different conditions," Aaqib told Cricinfo.

"It also gives selectors a chance to witness some of our brightest young talent in action against international opposition and note down future prospects for the senior team," he added.

Apart from Alam, an exceptional domestic season just behind him, the team also includes Anwar Ali, Pakistan's fast-bowling hero from the 2006 U-19 world cup, former international Junaid Zia who has played four ODIs, and two former U-19 captains, Khalid Latif and Sarfraz Ahmed.

Alam, optimistic about the team's performance, pointed out that every player in the team was capable of putting up a good display. "We have a former international as a coach and our players have had experience against quality opposition so I'm expecting good results from the tour," he told Cricinfo.

While the four-day matches are scheduled against Bangladesh Academy, the triangular tournament, comprising of one match against each team and the final, will include the touring academy squad from Sri Lanka Academy.

Pakistan Academy Squad: Fawad Alam (capt), Anwar Ali, Junaid Zia, Khalid Latif, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Khurram Manzoor, Atif Maqbool, Afaq Rahim, Babar Naeem, Adnan Raza, Shahid Yousuf, Abdul Rauf, Najaf Shah, Sohail Tanvir, Zohaib Khan