Azan Ahmed Named Pakistan U17 Captain for Sri Lanka Series

LAHORE: (Sports Reporter) – Azan Ahmed has been appointed captain of Pakistan’s U17 team for the upcoming bilateral series against Sri Lanka U17 in Multan next month.

According to a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) press release, the series will feature one three-day match and five one-day internationals, with all six games scheduled at the Multan Cricket Stadium from October 9 to 24.

The Sri Lankan U17 squad will arrive in Pakistan on October 5, while both teams will hold training sessions at the Multan Cricket Stadium from October 6 to 8.

The 17-year-old Azan represented Rawalpindi U17 in the National Men’s U17 Cup earlier this year. The right-arm leg-spinner claimed 36 wickets in eight matches, with his best innings figures of 4-28 during the two-day competition.

Azan also captained Rawalpindi to the tournament title after they defeated Abbottabad by 125 runs in the final at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, held from May 11 to 13.

Following the tournament, 48 players were invited to a U17 Skills Development Camp in Faisalabad, which began on July 30. The group was subsequently reduced to 30 players for the second phase of the camp.

All 16 players selected for the Sri Lanka series, along with the four reserves, previously featured in the National Men’s U17 Cup.

Pakistan U17 squad: Azan Ahmed (captain), Abdullah Ahmed Butt, Arsalan Hassan, Daud Tauqeer Rana, Fahad Iqbal, Hamid Raza, Hamza Abbas Baloch, Hassan Ali, Mohammad Essa Baloch, Mohammad Ihsaan, Mohammad Naveed, Mohammad Saim, Mohammad Yaqoob Khan, Mohammad Yousaf, Sher Wali Khan and Sudais Ahmed.

Reserve players: Ammar Khan, Imad Ali Shah, Nafees Akhtar and Saqib Khan.

The three-day match will be played from October 9 to 11, followed by the first one-day match on October 15.

The remaining one-day matches are scheduled for October 17, 19, 21 and 24, with all fixtures taking place at the Multan Cricket Stadium.