Former Pakistani batter Mohammad Yousuf has been named Pakistan U19 head coach, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Saturday.

Yousuf, who represented Pakistan in 381 international matches, is one of the best batters ever played for the country as he amassed 17,250 runs across two formats (Test and ODIs).

“The Pakistan Cricket Board today confirmed the appointment of former Test captain Mohammad Yousuf as head coach of Pakistan U19. Yousuf’s first assignments in the role include the 2023 ACC U19 Asia Cup in the UAE from 8 to 17 December and the 2024 ICC U19 World Cup in Sri Lanka from 13 January to 4 February,” the PCB said in a press release.

Talking after his appointment as U19 coach, Yousuf thanked the PCB Management Committee Chairman Zaka Ashraf for providing him the opportunity to serve his country.

“I am pleased to join as Pakistan U19 head coach and feel honoured to have been given the opportunity to contribute to Pakistan cricket by Chairman PCB Management Committee Mr Zaka Ashraf,” Yousuf said.

“I am eagerly looking forward to the upcoming U19 Asia Cup and ICC U19 World Cup tournaments, which are crucial to the players’ growth and we will be aiming to do our best in these events.”

Yousuf then stated that he is dedicated to assisting the young players and will help them to furnish their batting skills.

“Having had the privilege of working with the senior men’s side, I will bring my coaching experience to the U19 set-up, providing a nurturing environment for the young talents to thrive and make a mark on the international level.

“Harnessing the skills of young players is crucial for Pakistan cricket and I am dedicated to fulfilling my responsibility in helping identify, improve and nurture future stars.”

It must be noted that the PCB has been heavily active for the past few days. Ever since previous captain Babar Azam stepped down from captaincy on Wednesday (November 15), the PCB has hired new captains for T20Is and Test cricket and also changed the entire coaching panel.

Former cricketers Mohammad Hafeez, Wahab Riaz and Sohail Tanvir have been given important responsibilities as the team prepares to embark on their journey to Australia to play a three-match Test series.