- Monday, February 24, 2025
The board’s chief expressed disappointment that he could not see a single player hitting the maximum into the stands and asked the cricketers to train with the army.
By: Shubham Ghosh
THE intervention of the army in Pakistan’s public life is not new. But now, the country’s armed forces are set to play a key role in improving the fitness level of the national players, an information that the chief of its cricket board has shared.
Mohsin Naqvi, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has said that the national cricketers will train with the army in March and April to raise their fitness level. He was speaking to a few players at a hotel in Islamabad on Tuesday (5) where he mentioned about a 10-day training camp after the conclusion of the ongoing edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Naqvi was particularly upset with Pakistan batter’s six-hitting abilities and stressed on the requirement to focus on strength and fitness.
He told the cricketers that while watching PSL matches in Lahore, he felt that not a single batter could hit a six that fell into the stands. Whenever such a maximum strike was made, he thought some foreign player was behind it. The PCB chief said he asked the board to come up with a plan to improve every player’s fitness. Naqvi said one would have to make a proper effort for that.
Pakistan cricketers’ fitness level came under the scanner when they visited India for the 50-over World Cup last year. Seeing the players’ performance on the field, Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram even remarked that it seemed the players consumed eight kilograms of mutton everyday.
Pakistan will be up against the likes of USA, Ireland, Canada and arch-rivals India in the T20 World Cup to be held in the West Indies and the USA in June.
Before the marquee tournament, the Green Shirts will also have a packed schedule with bilateral series coming up against teams such as New Zealand, Ireland and England.
Pakistan won the T20 World Cup crown in 2009 and finished as the runners-up in 2022 when they lost to England in the final in Melbourne.
Naqvi also said that the players should focus on playing for Pakistan and prioritise national duties over everything else. Recently, the board revoked all-rounder Haris Rauf’s central contract and stopped him from playing in overseas franchise T20 leagues until June 30.
