Naveed Nawaz urges focus on title talk after semifinal spot

Bangladesh has secured a spot in the semifinals of the Under-19 Asia Cup after defeating Nepal in their second group match on Monday. With two wins, they remain on track for the semifinals. Sri Lanka also qualified for the semifinals with their second consecutive victory on the same day. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will meet in their final group match, which may still be significant based on other results.

Speaking to the media after the win over Nepal, Bangladesh Under-19 head coach Naveed Nawaz made it clear that his team is not yet thinking about a potential title hat-trick. Bangladesh won the previous two editions of the Asia Cup and arrived in Dubai with hopes of making it three in a row, but the coach stressed the importance of staying focused on the present.

“I am not really thinking that far ahead yet,” Nawaz said. “The boys have done well in the first two matches. We are taking it match by match. A lot will depend on the Sri Lanka–Afghanistan match. The next game could be just a formality, or it might not be. If Afghanistan wins, the net run rate will come into play. So we still need to stay focused for the next match.”

Nawaz added that the team is prioritising process and control rather than outcomes. “We are trying to focus on controlling our own game, trusting the process, and playing smart cricket. We want to move forward step by step,” he said.

The coach also praised opener Zawad Abrar, who has been in impressive form with scores of 96 and 70 in Bangladesh’s first two matches. Nawaz highlighted the youngster’s improvement over the past few months, noting that Zawad had previously been dropped from the team.

“Zawad has improved a lot in recent months. He was out of the team earlier, and that gave him time to think about his game. He has come back into form at the right time,” Nawaz said. “In 50-over cricket, it is a long game, and you need to bat for extended periods. Zawad has good skills, and the more time he spends in the middle, the better he will become. Two match-winning performances in the Asia Cup are a very positive sign.”

Bangladesh’s next assignment is against Sri Lanka Under-19, a team Nawaz knows well. The coach acknowledged the strength of the upcoming opponents while reiterating his team’s focus on self-improvement.

“Sri Lanka is a strong team and has always been so. Their age-group cricket is well structured,” he said. “Right now, we are concentrating on ourselves — what we can do as a team and how we can give our best. If we can do that, we will move in the right direction. Hopefully, we will be well prepared for the Sri Lanka match.”