Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Wednesday announced a 15-member final squad for the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup beginning in New Zealand on January 13 next year.

Reliable batsman Mohammad Saif Hassan, who guided Bangladesh in the semifinal of the 2016 Under-19 Cricket World Cup for the first time and leading the country’s Under-19 side for the last two years, named as s captain of the Bangladesh Youth team while Afif Hossain Dhrubo made his deputy, reports the UNB.

Earlier, Bangladesh was put in Group C of the Under-19 World Cup with Namibia, Canada and England.

In the group matches, Bangladesh will play Namibia in one of the four opening day match on January 13 at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln, Canada on January 15 at the same venue and will face England on January 18 at John Davies Oval in Queenstown.

Bangladesh team is expected to leave for New Zealand on December 26. 

Saif Hassan and Pinak Ghosh played the 2016 Under-19 World Cup, Apart from these two, Bangladesh will depend on Afif Hossain and Towhid Hridoy for their recent form.

Qazi Onik and Robiul Haque will lead the pace attack while the off-spinner Nayeem Hasan is likely to be the main specialist spinner. Thirteen of the 15 players played youth ODIs in the last two years, with reserve wicketkeeper Shakil Hossain and pace bowler Roni Hossen who did not.

Bangladesh U-19 team:  Mohammed Saif Hassan (Captain), Afif Hossain Dhrubo (Vice Captain), Pinak Ghosh, Naim Sheikh, Towhid Ridoy, Aminul Islam Biplob, Mohammad Rakib, Mahidul Islam Bhuiyan Ankon, Shakil Hossain, Robiul Haque, Nayeem Hasan, Qazi Onik Islam, Roni Hossen, Hasan Mahmud and  Tipu Sultan.

Stand by cricketers: Sozib Hosen, Rayan Rafsan Rahman, Mohammad Shakhawat Hossain, Saidul Islam Pramanik, Yeasin Arafat, Abdul Halim, Monirul Islam