Naveed Nawaz.
| Photo Credit: File photo: Getty Images
Bangladesh U-19 coach Naveed Nawaz termed India’s youth cricket structures as one of the best and considered it a benchmark for other teams to measure up against.
The former Sri Lankan player guided Bangladesh to the 2020 U-19 World Cup title and the Asia Cup last year, beating India in the final on both occasions.
Speaking ahead of the 2025 Asia Cup that gets underway on December 12, Nawaz cited the examples of current u-19 stars Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre, who impressed many in the IPL earlier this year.
“I have seen Vaibhav and Ayush in the last Asia Cup and saw them in the IPL as the rising stars. I think this is normal for India to keep producing unbelievable cricketers into the system,” he said.
“Indian youth cricket has always been a yardstick. If we can go out there and beat or even play neck-to-neck with India, I think we are good enough to win a World Cup or compete very strongly and make a strong statement on the world stage as well,” the 52-year-old added.
The continental tournament is a crucial preparatory event for the upcoming Under-19 World Cup, which will be held in Zimbabwe and Namibia from January 16 to February 5, 2026.
Nawaz, who played three ODIs and a Test for Sri Lanka, also felt that the u-19 World Cup triumph was a pivotal moment for Bangladesh cricket.
“I think it was huge, especially for a country like Bangladesh, which had not won an ICC trophy before. It’s an inspiration for many young boys and girls who take up cricket, especially at the village level, and commit to the sport,” said Nawaz.
Published – December 11, 2025 01:40 am IST
