Questions have been raised over the ages of several Afghan Under-19 cricketers after the Asia Cup in the UAE, with some players appearing older than their stated age ahead of the Under-19 World Cup.
Former Pakistan fast bowler Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who served as a development coach with the Afghanistan Cricket Board for three years, shared mixed views on the issue during an appearance on Express News programme Sports World.
Rana Naved said reports questioning the ages of one or two Afghan players could have some basis, but it would be incorrect to generalize the issue to the entire squad. He said the players must have valid documents to verify their ages and added that the International Cricket Council would have allowed them to participate only after checking the required documentation.
He explained that Afghan youngsters often appear physically older than their actual age, similar to young players from Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region. He attributed this to factors such as climate, environment and diet, noting that a similar pattern is seen in Afghanistan.
Rana Naved, who recently ended his association with the Afghanistan Cricket Board, cautioned against taking the Afghan Under-19 team lightly in the upcoming triangular series in Zimbabwe and the World Cup. He said the Afghan players are highly talented and stressed that Pakistan will need a comprehensive strategy to compete against them.
He also said Pakistan’s Under-19 team would be high on confidence after winning the Asia Cup by defeating India in the final. According to him, Pakistan will be among the favourites not only in the triangular series but also in the Under-19 World Cup.
