Dubai:
Gearing up to compete in his second Under-19 World Cup, India’s Sarfaraz Khan says the experience he gained through playing at senior level in domestic cricket could be beneficial to him when the junior tournament begins in Bangladesh later this month.
Sarfaraz, who turns out for Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League, insisted he had an unfinished business at hand in Bangladesh.
“Our hopes of defending the title in 2014 were dashed when we lost to England in the quarter-finals,” Sarfaraz was quoted as saying in a ICC media release.
“That really hurts and we are determined to go all the way this time. It helps to have played at the senior level in domestic cricket but I can’t be complacent about that. We will be competing against the world’s best junior players in Bangladesh. I just want to do well and help my team win.”
Having learnt from past experiences, Sarfaraz is determined to do well in the event starting January 27.
Three-time former champions India have in their ranks Sarfaraz, Ricky Bhui and Avesh Khan, who helped the team finish fifth in the UAE edition.
The 11th edition of the youth tournament will be played across four cities in Bangladesh from January 27 to February 14, featuring nine Test-playing nations and seven Associate and Affiliate members Afghanistan, Canada, Fiji, Ireland, Namibia, Nepal and Scotland.
Defending champions South Africa, England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe will take the field with a fresh set of cricketers, but some teams have players with previous experience in the tournament.
