ABU DHABI // The UAE will host an U19 tri-nation limited over series later this year, adding to what is already gearing up to be one of the busiest international cricket seasons the country has seen. The U19 sides of Pakistan, England and the UAE will take part in the series.
“We are planning this tri-series in December [2013] in the UAE just before the Asian Cricket Council U19 Asia Cup,” an official involved in the negotiations said. Matches are likely to be played across the three venues in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
The series falls between the two major senior international contests this winter, after Pakistan’s series against South Africa and before Sri Lanka arrive for a full tour against Pakistan.
Just before the tri-series, in November, the country will also be hosting the main qualifiers for the World Twenty20, scheduled to be played in Bangladesh in March next year; that is in addition to the regular round of games from the World Cricket League between international cricket’s second tier sides.
The tri-series comes at an ideal moment for the sides. As well as providing match time ahead of the U19 Asia Cup to Pakistan and the UAE, the tri-series will be ideal preparation to all three sides ahead of the U19 World Cup, due to be played in the UAE in February-March next year.
Talk of the series emerged after the Pakistan U19 tour to England earlier this summer, where the two sides battled their counterparts from Bangladesh in a tri-series. Pakistan won that comfortably, undefeated in seven matches (of which they won six).
Pakistan have traditionally been one of the stronger sides at U19 level, having won the World Cup twice and finished runners-up twice more.
osamiuddin@thenational.ae
