Sikh batsman to captain national U-19 squad

What you need to know:

  • Kamande also said that friendly games will be organised over the weekends for the boys to have practice matches against select sides.
  • In Namibia, Kenya will fight it out with Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and hosts Namibia for the sole slot reserved for the continent in the 2020 under-19 World Cup set for South Africa in January and February.

Sikh Union’s batsman, Sukhdeep Singh, will captain Kenya’s under-19 team that will compete in the International Cricket Council Africa 2020 World Cup qualifiers set for Windhoek, Namibia from March 15 to 24.

Sukhdeep is the only player in the squad who competed in last year’s Age group World Cup in New Zealand and qualified for Namibia event.

The other batsmen in the side are: Shukan Mehta (Mombasa Sports Club), Sukhraj Singh (Mombasa Simba), Brij Patel (Nairobi Gymkhana), Dilan Shah (Obuya Academy) and Shay Shah (Obuya Academ).

Both the 17 year-old David Okaro, who is studying in South Africa, and Francis Mutua (Stray Lions) are all-rounders.

The under-19 team coach, Jimmy Kamande on Monday said: “Okaro arrived late for the 2017 trials to pick the squad for Africa World Cup qualifiers for 2018 under-19 World Cup held in New Zealand. That is how the talented boy missed to be part of Kenya’s squad that competed in the World Cup.”

He added: “This time round, Okaro showed up for the selection in goodtime and that is how he earned himself a place in Kenya’s squad.”

Okaro and Mutua are both fast medium-right hand bowlers. The other bowler sin the side are Vraj Patel (Sikh Union), a lef-arm spinner and Satish Hirani (Kanbis), an off-break bowlers.

Krushil Savla (Sikh Union) is the wicket-keeper.

Kamande said that boys based in Nairobi will train at both Ruaraka and Sikh Union grounds from Monday to Friday, while Mombasa boys will train at Mombasa Sports Club from Tuesday to Friday under the watchful eye of the former national team coach Thomas Odoyo.

Kamande also said that friendly games will be organised over the weekends for the boys to have practice matches against select sides.

In Namibia, Kenya will fight it out with Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and hosts Namibia for the sole slot reserved for the continent in the 2020 under-19 World Cup set for South Africa in January and February.

Full squad:

Sukhdeep Singh (captain. Sikh Union), Shukan Mehta (Mombasa Sports Club), Sukhraj Singh (Mombasa Sports Club), Brij Patel (Nairobi Gymkhana), Dilan Shah (Obuya Academy), Shay Shah (Obuya Academy), Krushil Savla (wicket-keeper, Sikh Union),Hashil Vekaria (Ruaraka), Francis Mutua (Stray Lions), Vraj Patel (Sikh Union), Predyuman Doshi (Mombasa Simba), David Okaro (South Africa) and Satish Hirani (Kanbis).