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Fresh from back-to-back series victories over Sri Lanka and South Africa, as well as securing a Tri-nation title in Zimbabwe, Bangladesh’s promising young batter Zawad Abrar stated that the team’s focus is firmly set on next year’s ICC Under-19 World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia.

The teenager was Bangladesh’s top scorer in the Sri Lanka series, including two centuries. He holds the record for the fastest pair of U-19 hundreds by a Bangladeshi. In South Africa, he struck three straight half-centuries and produced an 82-run knock against Zimbabwe during the tri-nation series.

Zawad believes the recent form has been both a personal milestone and crucial preparation ahead of the main event, scheduled for early 2026.

‘Overall, my experience was, Alhamdulillah, quite good. Scoring runs in these series means we are getting ready for the World Cup and becoming more confident. Playing in Zimbabwe also helped us understand the conditions there,’ he told ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· in an interview.

Bangladesh traditionally carry modest expectations in global tournaments; however, the youngster was clear about his team’s ambition.

‘The target for the World Cup is, of course, to become champions. We will play our best cricket. Usually, people expect Bangladesh to reach the quarter-finals or semi-finals, but Inshallah, we will go to the finals and win the trophy.’

The junior Tigers are set to tour England in September, and the right-handed batter sees the upcoming series as another chance of honing his skills.

‘My expectation is to perform as well as I can and boost my confidence. The better I perform, the more ready I’ll be for the World Cup,’ he said.

‘I’ve done well, but there were matches where I couldn’t maintain consistency. For the good ones, I feel happy, but I want to do better. Cricket is more mental than physical. I try to stay confident and focused.

‘Our main target is to prepare properly through these series so we can give our best in the World Cup. Please keep us in your prayers.’

Zawad also credited coaches for their key role in his development. ‘They give us a lot of time. The practice sessions are long, and I batted almost 300 balls per day. If there are any technical problems, they explain us very well. Their support has been huge.’

The batter, who is currently studying in an English-medium school, acknowledged his parents’ support.  

‘My parents always supported me. They told me to study as much as I could, but mainly to focus on the game. Their support helped me balance both,’ said Zawad, who has completed part of his O Levels.

A stint with the Bangladesh Premier League franchise Sylhet Strikers helped him to gain experience in a different environment, where senior local players and overseas stars left a strong impression.

‘The scenario there is very different. Many foreign players come, and our own senior players have so much experience. Watching their routines, diets, and match preparation—it was a big learning experience. I observed players from other teams too, not just Sylhet, and tried to learn as much as possible,’ said Zawad.

Among Bangladeshi cricketers, his idol is all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, while he also admires Indian legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

When asked to pick his favourite moment so far, he pointed to the Asia Cup triumph in 2024.

‘The Asia Cup is definitely memorable because we became champions. Whatever my performance was, I was able to bring a trophy for the country. That is very special. Then Sri Lanka and South Africa were also memorable.’