Rising Stars: Surrey Allrounder Ralphie Albert to Lead England Lions in Pakistan

Leadership Roles: Surrey allrounder Ralphie Albert has been named captain of an 18-player England Under-19 squad for their upcoming winter tour of Pakistan in December. Nottinghamshire's Farhan Ahmed will serve as vice-captain.

Coaching Staff: The tour will be overseen on an interim basis by head coach Neil Killeen, who has taken over the Young Lions' winter programme following Mike Yardy's appointment as Elite National Batting Lead. Killeen will be supported by a coaching team featuring Joe Denly, Steve Mullaney, and Kyle Hogg.

Tour Itinerary & Preparation

Training Camp: The squad will first assemble for a 12-day training camp in Colombo, Sri Lanka, running from November 19 to 30, to prepare for sub-continental conditions. Fixtures: Following the camp, the team travels to Rawalpindi for the matches, which comprise three Youth ODIs and a multi-day Youth Test:

December 5: 1st Youth ODI (Rawalpindi) | December 7: 2nd Youth ODI (Rawalpindi) | December 9: 3rd Youth ODI (Rawalpindi) | December 13–16: 1st Youth Test (Rawalpindi)

"This is an opportunity for these young players to experience new countries and conditions and for our coaching team to help develop their game in a world-class environment, which will only help in their journey towards international cricket.

Squad Dynamics & Selections

Uncapped Talent: Worcestershire left-arm seamer Jeet Varaich has earned his maiden call-up to the Young Lions squad.

Phased Arrivals & Managed Programs: Marley Simpson and Lyke Symington will participate exclusively in the Sri Lanka training camp, while Charlie Taylor and Manny Lumsden will join the squad directly in Rawalpindi under managed development programs tailored for fast bowlers.