Cricket

Naveed Nawaz, upon his return as Bangladesh's Under-19 coach, has outlined his plans to replicate the success of the 2020 World Cup triumph in South Africa. Nawaz, who guided Bangladesh to their maiden title that year, will draw upon the same formula that proved effective in the previous campaign.Nawaz's appointment comes after Stuart Law's contract was not renewed. Law, who coached Bangladesh in the 2024 Under-19 World Cup, has since joined the USA men's national team.Nawaz acknowledges the expectations that come with his return, given the success of the 2020 team. However, he emphasizes the importance of developing the team from the grassroots level and fostering a positive environment."This expectation is on the players as well in a country like Bangladesh, where people are almost crazy about cricket," Nawaz said. "We want to give them as much experience as possible, give them the confidence, help them grow."Nawaz plans to travel the country to identify talented cricketers and collaborate with age-group selectors to determine the team's needs for the 2026 edition in Zimbabwe and Namibia."We know what type of cricket the U19 boys play all over the world," he said. "My first job would be to sit with the selectors, to see what are the [pieces of the] puzzles that match. What type of talent do we have to make a great team, that can win."Nawaz cautions against unrealistic expectations for young players, emphasizing the challenges of international cricket. He believes that players need time to develop and overcome technical and mental hurdles."Cricket is a lot more analytical than before; oppositions find you out very quickly," he said. "You can't be holding a technical or mental issue for too long. You have to get over it."Nawaz's return to the Bangladesh Under-19 team signals a renewed focus on developing young talent and building a team capable of competing at the highest level.