A guide to what the programme means, who can apply, its benefits, and the participating schools
uae3 hours ago
Pakistan, in white-ball cricket, are riding a wave over the past few years and that has been all down to a young leader and a younger team.
Not long ago, Pakistan's performances, especially in ODI cricket, had been iffy, with them turning up for a contest and, sometimes not.
But every since Sarfraz took over at the helm, there has been a dramatic shift in their fortunes. Backed by the selectors and coaching staff, Sarfraz has put faith in young blood to see Pakistan through the next decade or so.
He has been an able leader to his men and they have responded remarkable well, clinching the ICC Champions Trophy from under the nose of India.
Their sterling show in England has given hope that they will be worth their weight at next year's World Cup.
And Sarfraz, who has been the focal point of their amazing transition, said stability and showing faith in young players is the key to building a side.
"We have a very young team now so our job is to give confidence to the young players," Sarfraz said at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday.
"Winning the Champions Trophy was a morale booster for Pakistan cricket. After that, we had a meeting with the chief selector and coaching staff and we decided to go with the same team. We don't want too many changes in the team. We have shown faith in the young players and they have the confidence now and are responding to it very well. Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, they are getting better day by day. So, because of these young players and the stability, our ODI cricket has improved and we are playing very good cricket," he added.
The Asia Cup, which begins from Saturday, will be a sort of a dress rehearsal to the World Cup in England, as the teams to iron out a few chinks.
And while Sarfraz said that, that would be the case, they still have some tough assignments to come against Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
"As (India captain) Rohit (Sharma) said, we have to take it one match at a time and series by series. As far as the Pakistan team is concerned, we have a busy schedule ahead of us heading into next year. You could say that the journey to the World Cup is ongoing," said Sarfraz.
"But our focus right now is the Asia Cup and after that we have series against Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. So, we will be trying to take it series by series and try and improve and get better over the course of it so that when we reach the World Cup, we will come to know where our team stands," added the 31-year-old.
Nonetheless, Sarfraz hoped that fans here in the UAE will get to watch some exciting and good cricket over the fortnight.
"First of all, it is a great opportunity for all the teams participating in the tournament and I wish them the best of luck. Hopefully, people can watch good cricket here. It will also be a great opportunity for the teams to go on and win the title," he said.
A guide to what the programme means, who can apply, its benefits, and the participating schools
uae3 hours ago
Pogacar says his current form feels good enough to carry him to a rare cycling double as he chases victory in the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France
sports3 hours ago
Islamabad High Court will hear appeals against conviction of Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi in £190M NCA settlement reference on May 21
world3 hours ago
The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Monday applied for arrest warrants on suspicion of war crimes and crimes against humanity
world3 hours ago
Archer likely to feature in the first T20 against Pakistan
cricket4 hours ago
In the 152 Premier League matches City have played across the last four seasons, they have recorded 112 victories with just 17 defeats, racking up 372 goals
football4 hours ago
The former president's party urges supporters to remain calm and go out to vote on May 29
africa4 hours ago
Gold jewellery shoppers in Dubai usually opt for a wait-and-watch approach when prices hit record peaks
markets4 hours ago