The best young players in the world of cricket
The suspension of cricket has meant different things for players wherever they are on the age spectrum.
Some will feel they are missing valuable time in their primes. Others will hope to see top-flight action again, before signing off their careers. Many others will have been hoping to announce themselves to the wider world at about this time, either in the international game or via franchise league cricket.
At least all those guys have time on their side. Here are 20 of the most talented players aged under 20 emerging in the world game.
Naseem Shah, 17 Pakistan
Handled correctly, Pakistan have a pace attack that should be a force to be reckoned with in the next decade. Shah already has a Test hat-trick.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, 18 India
Should have been playing in the Indian Premier League this month, having been signed by Rajasthan Royals for $340,000. Left-handed opener with power.
Sandeep Lamichhane, 19 Nepal
The leg-spinner has two years of IPL experience under his belt, and is arguably the outstanding bowler outside of the Test sphere already.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 19 Afghanistan
Only turned 19 at the end of March, but has played a Test, a World Cup, as well as as an overseas player in UAE, Australia, England, Bangladesh and India.
Akbar Ali, 18 Bangladesh, 18
The wicketkeeper has been much feted in Bangladesh – where he was termed Akbar the Great – after overseeing their first U19 World Cup win in February.
Jayden Seales, 18 West Indies
Picked out by both Ian Bishop and Tom Moody as one for the near future for West Indies after the U19 World Cup, and the pace bowler has since landed a CPL deal.
Shafiqullah Ghafari, 18 Afghanistan
Afghanistan are inundated with young, talented spinners. Where Mujeeb, Rashid Khan, Zahir Khan, and Qais Ahmed have led, leg-spinner Ghafari is sure to follow.
Haider Ali, 19 Pakistan
Reinforced a reputation he had already etched out at the U19 World Cup with an eye-catching campaign in Peshawar Zalmi’s middle-order in the PSL.
Shoriful Islam, 18 Bangladesh
Bangladesh are no strangers to bringing through fiery left-arm quicks via U19 World Cups – see Mustafizur Rahman – and Shoriful might be next.
Tanveer Sangha, 18 Australia
The leg-spinner became the youngest player to land a BBL contract when Sydney Thunder signed him up aged 17 years and 346 days.
Ravi Bishnoi, 19 India
The son of a school headmaster was one of the players of the tournament in the U19 World Cup in South Africa, where his leg-spin and googly combinations made him the leading wicket-taker.
Rakibul Hasan, 17 Bangladesh
The left-arm orthodox bowler’s control in the middle-overs was central to Bangladesh winning their first U19 world title in February.
Jonathan Figy, 18 UAE
Dubai-born, Abu Dhabi-raised, now at university in England, he was the first centurion at this year’s U19 World Cup, having already played senior ODI cricket.
Hamidullah Qadri, 19 England
Became the first county cricketer born this millennium when he debuted for Derbyshire in 2017. The Kandahar-born off-spinner was in the wickets at the U19 World Cup.
Kushal Malla, 16 Nepal
Overtook the likes of Sachin Tendullkar and Shahid Afridi when he became the youngest player to score an ODI 50 aged just 15 earlier this year.
Tom Mackintosh, 19 Scotland
Born in Madrid, Scotland’s wicketkeeper gave a sneak peak of his talent ahead of the World Cup with a blistering hundred in a practice game against UAE in Dubai in January.
Kartik Tyagi, 19 India
A farmer’s son who was mentored by the same coach as Praveen Kumar and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, he landed an IPL deal with Rajasthan Royals after thriving in South Africa.
Rohail Nazir, 18 Pakistan
Captained Pakistan to the semifinal at the U19 World Cup, before going on to catch the eye with the bat in the two brief cameos he managed in the PSL that followed.
Bryce Parsons, 19 South Africa
The left-handed batsman is another from the prolific production line that South Africa will be hoping they can keep hold of rather than seeing him seek opportunities elsewhere.
Priyam Garg, 19 India
India’s U19 captain has a first-class double century to his name, as well as two tons in List A limited-overs cricket, and is due to play for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL.