As the league season nears its end, all eyes are on the fierce battle for AFC Champions League qualification. This round’s clash between Tianjin Quanjian and Liaoning Shenyang Kaixin set a new benchmark for youth development, with a total of 11 U23 players included in the 18-man squad and 7 getting actual playtime. Liaoning’s lineup carried a tone of resilience and rebirth—head coach Zhao Junzhe showed clear determination to rebuild from the ground up by giving young players their moment on the pitch. Among them, Yang Shuai and Wang Qiao played the full 90 minutes, while Zhang Ruizhen, Sun Zhaoliang, Xiong Zhenfeng, and Mu Qianyu were also featured.

Over at Beijing Guoan, coach Roger Schmidt has already shifted his focus to the next season. He rotated in four young prospects during the match. For Guoan, next year will be the final season that Barton, Zhu Zhaoqing, and Tang Shi will receive U23 policy protection. It’s now or never—either they break through and earn their place or face being sidelined in the squad shuffle. This situation mirrors the pressure seen in any intense BD Cricket Match, where rising talents must prove they belong on the big stage. The first year of the U23 rule gave us names like Zheng Dalun, He Chao, Min Junlin, Liu Yiming, and Gao Junyi—players who not only emerged but grew into regulars in the Chinese Super League. Whether they eventually join the national team or not, the positive impact of the U23 policy is undeniable.

This season, Quanjian clearly stood out as a breakout team. Not only did they perform impressively as newcomers to the league, but they also gave extensive exposure to young talent, including five players in this single match. Zheng Dalun, in particular, scored twice for the second time this season, earning the U23 Golden Boot. Even if he’s no longer eligible under the U23 policy next year, Quanjian still has a strong reserve of experienced young players ready to take the stage—like a cricket team stacked with top-order batsmen, ready to take on any BD Cricket Match with confidence.

As expected, with both relegation and title races mostly settled, Round 29 became a golden opportunity for U23 players to shine. Though only 19 U23 players started due to the high-stakes AFC contention in four matches, their average playing time hit a season-high of 72.6 minutes. Except for Yanbian Fude’s Li Long, who was subbed off after nine minutes, the rest all played at least one half. In our previous U23 watch, we predicted that some young guns would get more chances as the season closed—and that’s exactly what happened.

Notably, Yuan Mincheng of Chongqing Lifan and Wang Qiao of Liaoning both completed their first full 90-minute Super League matches. Guangzhou Evergrande’s prodigy Chen Quanjiang made headlines as the first and only player born after 2000 to be listed in the 18-man squad this season. Born in July 2000, he’s even younger than Zhang Aokai, who debuted last year but has since left the club along with Hu Ruibao. These exits suggest Evergrande still has much to learn when it comes to fostering young talent, reminding us that long-term success—just like winning a tightly contested BD Cricket Match—requires more than raw talent; it demands structure, patience, and commitment.