ISLAMABAD, July 25: Pakistan’s junior cricket team left for Queensland, Australia on Wednesday to participate in the ICC U-19 World Cup which commences from Aug 1.

Pakistan won back-to-back U-19 World Cup titles in 2004 and 2006 in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka respectively.

The side will be led by top-order batsman Babar Azam who has played four first-class matches in which he has scored 106 runs. Babar is the only first-class player in the side that includes wrist spinner Usman Qadir, the son of Pakistan’s legendary Test leg-spinner Abdul Qadir.

Australia will be defending the title they won in Lincoln, New Zealand, in 2010.

Pakistan Under-19 team’s coach Sabih Azhar said he has high hopes from his team in the global competition, adding the boys are capable of winning the World Cup as the same team performed brilliantly in the U-19 Asia Cup last month.

“We have prepared well for the World Cup and I feel the Asia Cup was an excellent opportunity for the players to hone their skills for this mega event,” he said.

Sabih further said the unity in the team makes him more hopeful of their success in the mega event.

“The whole team play like a unit, with a firm aim to win. I am also quite pleased with the team’s discipline and unity,” he said.

Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Azizullah, Ehsan Adil, Faraz Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Mir Hamza, Saad Ali, Salman Afridi, Sami Aslam, Shahid Ilyas, Umar Waheed, Usman Qadir, Zafar Gohar, Zia-ul-Haq.—APP