The national men’s cricket team head coach Martin Suji has named a relatively inexperienced squad for the upcoming ICC U-19 World Cup Africa qualifiers slated in Kigali from September 28 to October 7.

The qualifiers will attract five countries namely Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Namibia and hosts Rwanda.

Given enormous cricketing experience from its opponents, Rwanda, despite playing from home, are seen as the considered underdogs prior to the tournament which will see the winner of the qualifiers automatically book the ticket to the 2022 ICC U-19 World Cup in the West Indies.

It will be the fourteenth edition of the Under-19 Cricket World Cup, and the first to be held in the West Indies.

Africa is the only region yet to produce a representative in the 16-team U-19 World Cup, with 15 teams already qualified. They include hosts West Indies, Australia, India, England, Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, UAE, Canada, Papua New Guinea and Ireland.

The squad

Didier Ndikubwimana (Captain), Parfait Mugisha (Vice Captain), Oscar Manishimwe. Daniel Gumyusenge, Israel Mugisha, Althimon Igiraneza, Jean Marie Vianney Ingabire, Isaie Niyomugabo, Eric Kubwimana, Rodrigue Niyomugabo, Emile Rukiriza, Christian Benihirwe, Sulaiman Dushimirimana and Steven Ntwari.