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In an attempt to improve their fitness levels, Pakistan‘s players are set to train with the Pakistan Army after the conclusion of the ongoing Pakistan Super League. PSL 2024 is scheduled to finish on March 18.
One week after the PSL 2024 final, the training will begin. The players will be with the army from March 25 to April 8. Newly-appointed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi announced the details of the training camp on Tuesday (March 5) at a hotel in Islamabad while addressing several players.
Pointing out that the Pakistan players failed to hit a six in the stands, Naqvi said that he has asked the PCB officials to make a plan to get every cricketer’s ‘fitness up to speed’.
He also stated that finding a window for the training camp was difficult because of the busy period ahead before confirming that the camp with the Pakistan Army would take place in Kakul.
“When I was watching the matches in Lahore, I don’t think a single one of you hit a six that went into the stands,” Naqvi said. “Whenever a six like that was hit, I used to think a foreign player must have hit that. I have asked the board to make a plan that gets every player’s fitness up to speed. You’ll have to make a proper effort for that.
“We have New Zealand coming up, then Ireland, England and the T20 World Cup. I wondered, ‘When will we train?’ but there was no time. However, we’ve found a window, where we’ve organized a camp in Kakul (military academy) from March 25 to April 8. The Pakistan Army will be involved in your training, and hopefully, they’ll help you out,” he added.
A report in ESPNcricinfo has stated that an intensive training camp in one of the few windows the players would otherwise have rested is likely to be unpopular. The Pakistan players have been playing non-stop cricket for the last few months or so and would have liked to rest after the conclusion of the PSL. However, the PCB has decided otherwise.
As far as training with the army is concerned, it is not new for Pakistani cricket. Misbah-ul-Haq-led Pakistan had famously trained with the army in Kakul before they toured England. The former Pakistan captain had scored a century in the first Test and celebrated it by doing push-ups and a military salute. The series had ended at 2-2.
Mohsin Naqvi’s advice for Pakistan players:
Mohsin Naqvi also urged the Pakistan cricketers to prioritize playing for the national team over playing T20 leagues. The club vs country debate has become the talk of the town once again after Haris Rauf decided against participating in the three-match Test series in Australia. Recently, the PCB terminated the pacer’s central contract.
“I’m not going to say you mustn’t earn money, or ask you to make sacrifices we are also not ready to make. But let me give you one example. One year ago, I was asked to become the chief minister of Punjab, and it caused me a financial loss in my business. I had to leave that aside and incur several extra costs. But I had a desire to represent Pakistan, and so I had to make that sacrifice.
“I will support you 100%, but I’ll just ask you to make Pakistan your first priority, and T20 leagues your second priority. It’s unfortunate when money becomes first priority and the country second. If you do that, then we might have a problem. We can even look at central contracts and bolster them further if you desire, but you must be available for Pakistan first and foremost,” said Naqvi.
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