Head coach Yousuf names six U19 stars, talks loss in U19 Asia Cup semi-final

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In the aftermath of Pakistan's U19 team's exit from the Asia Cup in a hard-fought semi-final, Head Coach Yousuf has pinpointed six young talents who have shown immense promise on the field.

Despite the disappointment of the semi-final loss against UAE u19, Yousuf remains optimistic about the future of Pakistan's cricket, expressing confidence in the budding talents under his guidance.

In an exclusive interview with Cricket Pakistan, Yousuf highlighted the impressive performances of Azan Awais and Saad Baig, praising their mature batting skills. The coach also stressed the importance of constant improvement, stating that while the team is performing well, there is always room for enhancement. 

"Azan and Saad have shown very mature batting, and may Allah bless them to play even better. In team meetings, I often emphasize that we are performing well, but there is room for improvement. We strive to do well every day," Yousuf said.

Yousuf also commended Mohammad Zeeshan for his excellent bowling and acknowledged Ubaid Shah's contributions with the ball. 

"Zeeshan has bowled very well. Ubaid Shah has also bowled well. The bowlers have delivered excellent performances," he further added.

Reflecting on the Asia Cup's semi-final against UAE, Yousuf admitted that the team could have bowled out the opposition for under 150 but credited the opponents for their mature and aggressive play.

"In the last match (against UAE), you can say that we should have bowled the opposition out for under 150 because they were not a very strong team. However, those UAE boys were mature, considering the aggression they were showing and the way they were carrying themselves on the ground. So they had a slight edge, but that's not an excuse. We should have won. If you look at the score, we were 114 for 2, and we needed runs at a required run rate of 3," Yousuf remarked.

Furthermore, Yousuf commented on the team's performance, emphasizing the importance of learning from experiences.

"The boys played good cricket, but I am sure they have learned from this. They need to focus more, be disciplined for the future of cricket, the World Cup, and beyond," he said.

Looking ahead, Yousuf expressed his confidence in the bright future of Pakistani cricket. He specifically highlighted promising talents like Shamyl Hassan and Riaz Ullah, acknowledging their potential.

"Pakistan has a bright future. Among them, there is a boy named Shamyl whom I also like. Riaz Ullah is also promising, but they are still young. If they keep learning these small things, I am sure both these boys will have a great future for Pakistan," he concluded.