Azhar Ali: “There’s some exciting batting talent. The [Under-19] captain Farhan Yousaf, he already represented Lahore in T20 cricket, he’s a very explosive batter who can change the game”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali thinks Under-19 captain Farhan Yousaf is a player to watch out for as he is “a very explosive batter who can change the game”.
Yousaf, who recently captained Pakistan in the ICC Under-19 World Cup, made a strong impression with the bat during the tournament.
In five matches, the 19-year-old from Kasur amassed 132 runs, which included a top score of 65, at an average of 66.
Impressed by his performances, Azhar believes the youngster should soon be tested against top-level opposition to further develop his skills.
“There’s some exciting batting talent. The [Under-19] captain Farhan Yousaf, he already represented Lahore in T20 cricket, he’s a very explosive batter who can change the game. He also needs [that] exposure of playing against [the] top sides,” the former selector told PakPassion.
The Pakistan team are now playing in the 2026 T20 World Cup, where they have made it to the Super Eights after beating the Netherlands, United States of America and Namibia in the group stage. Their only loss came against India.
Pakistan’s first Super Eights match will be against New Zealand on February 21 in Colombo.
Pakistan Squad for 2026 T20 World Cup: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq