THE Tanzania Cricket Association (TCA) has revealed the final squad for the national U-19 team set to feature in the 2025 ICC U-19 World Cup Africa Division 1 Qualifier in Nigeria next month.

A TCA official noted the team, led by head coach Imran Nackerdien who is assisted by Rijali Fentu, will moreover have Arslaan Premji as the team manager.

The squad set to represent the country in the 2025 ICC U-19 World Cup Africa Division 1 Qualifier consists of Acrey Pascal, Abdulrazak Mohamed, Ally Hafidh, Agustino Mwamele, Ayaan Shariff, Darpan Jobanputra, and assistant skipper Dylan Tharkar.

Hamza Ally, Karim Kiseto, Khalid Amiri, skipper Laksh Bakrania, Mohamed Simba, Omary Ramadhani, and Raymond Francis also make the list.

In preparation for the ICC U-19 World Cup Africa Division 1 Qualifier, the Tanzania U-19 cricket side honoured the 2025 Easter Youth ODI Series in Kampala from March 2-8.

The week-long event also had Uganda U-19 and Uganda Emerging XI battling it out.

All of the series' encounters, as per the Uganda Cricket Association (UCA), were played at Lugogo Cricket Oval.

The showdown witnessed Tanzania U-19 cricketers command a three-wicket victory over Uganda U-19 in the opening match, with the former's all-rounder Mohamed Simba bagging the Player of the Match prize.

The Tanzania U-19 cricketers ultimately ended the tour gallantly, beating the Uganda U-19 squad via the Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) method.

Having garnered the chance to bat first in the rain-affected final tie, Uganda U-19 amassed 143 all out in 32.3 overs,.

Mwamele (3/31), Ally (3/33), and Raymond Francis (3/42) delivered a strong bowling display for the Tanzania U-19 team.

Even though Tanzania U-19 faced an early setback, losing three quick wickets, a composed partnership between Mwamele (48 off 74) and Pascal (45 off 33) steadied the side's innings before rain intervened.

Their resilience proved crucial to sealing the win for the team.

With Tanzania U-19 having reached 112/4 in 29 overs, the D/L method confirmed the win for the squad, marking a determined fightback.

Augustine Mwamele garnered the Player of the Match (Final) prize for his all-round brilliance.

The TCA expressed regard to the UCA for hosting and organizing such a fantastic tournament. 

The competition, hospitality, and cricketing spirit, according to TCA, made the series an unforgettable experience. 

The TCA appreciated the opportunity, adding it is looking forward to more exciting contests in the future.

As was the case for the Tanzania U-19 cricketers, the Uganda U-19 squad used the series to gauge its players' skills before featuring in the ICC U-19 World Cup Africa Division 1 Qualifier.

Tanzania U-19 men’s national team beat the rest to the silverware in the ICC U-19 Men's Cricket World Cup Africa Division 2 Qualifier in Dar es Salaam in August last year.

The success helped Tanzania's junior cricketers gallantly book a place in the ICC U-19 World Cup Africa Division 1 Qualifier.

Sierra Leone and Tanzania (who qualified after winning the ICC U-19 Men's Cricket World Cup Africa Division 2 Qualifier semi-finals), and Nigeria (who qualified after defeating Rwanda for the third-place playoff) secured progression to the ICC U-19 World Cup Qualifier- Division 1.

The trio has joined Kenya, Namibia and Uganda in the Division 1 tournament set for April 2025 in Nigeria.

The ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup Africa Qualifier (formerly ICC Africa U-19 Championships) are a series of regular cricket tournaments organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for Under-19 teams from its African member nations.

It is the regional qualifier for the ICC Under-19 World Cup.

The initial tournament was staged in 2001 but did not return until 2007.

During the interim years, a joint competition with the East Asia-Pacific Cricket Council was held.

A second division was added in 2009 providing affiliate nations with a chance to participate.

After the first edition, two teams were promoted, but since then only one team has moved between divisions.

The two divisions are played at different times and in different locations.

The current champions are Namibia, who won the 2023 tournament in Tanzania to qualify for the 2024 U-19 Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka.

Namibia have won seven titles, the most of any team, while Uganda have won twice. 

Other teams, Kenya and Nigeria, have lifted the continental showdown's top honour once apiece