Dubai: The upcoming ICC U19 Cricket World Cup will require the Pakistan team to set the record straight at the very outset. They will have to first prove that they can cope with the pressure having suffered a heavy loss to their neighbours Afghanistan in November. It may be recalled that Afghanistan thrashed Pakistan by 185 runs in the final of the Under-19 Asia Cup last year at the Kinrara Academy Oval ground in Malaysia.

Pakistan have been one of the strongest sides in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup over the years. They won back-to-back titles in 2004 and 2006 and have also finished runners-up on three other occasions. Even in the previous edition, they lost to eventual champions the West Indies in the quarter-finals.

A lot will depend on Pakistan skipper Hassan Khan, who made his first-class debut for Karachi Whites this season and is in top form. They have very good strike bowlers in Munir Riaz, who took eight wickets in the Asia Cup in Malaysia, and Shaheen Afridi.

However all eyes will be on Afghanistan’s 16-year-old off-spinner Mujeeb Zadran who produced a deadly five-wickets spell for 13 runs against Pakistan in the Asia Cup final and hogged the limelight in Sharjah when he made his one-day debut for his senior team by taking four for 24 against Ireland and bagged the player of the match award. He also played in Dubai in the T10 Cricket League for Bengal Tigers.

The fact that Afghanistan remained unbeaten in the Asia Cup qualifiers to earn an entry into the ICC World Cup makes them the most formidable opponents for Pakistan in Group D. The other two teams in the group are Sri Lanka and Ireland.

Sri Lanka too have an ambidextrous spinner in Kamindu Mendis. He was one of the players in the 2016 U-19 World Cup too but Sri Lanka finished fourth after losing to Bangladesh by three wickets in the third-place play-off. The fact that Sri Lank did not even qualify for the knockout stages of the Asia Cup is a big blow to the team. They also have another spinner in Praveen Jayawickrama, the second-highest wicket-taker in the Asia Cup with 11 wickets.

Ireland have qualified to play in the World Cup by winning the European qualifier after a thrilling must-win game against Scotland. Ireland won by five runs mainly due to Joshua Little and Aaron Cawley, who picked up three wickets each, to dismiss Scotland for 103 in 34.5 overs. Little is being talked about as one of the finest bowlers to emerge from his country in recent years and has already played for the Ireland senior team.