Former captains Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali have raised concerns regarding the effectiveness of Lahore Qalandars’ Player Development Program (PDP) in nurturing international-level talent.
In a recent discussion on a local sports channel, Hafeez acknowledged the active engagement of Lahore Qalandars in their PDP but expressed doubts about its ability to produce standout performers beyond Haris Rauf.
“While Lahore Qalandars have been proactive in their Player Development Program, we have yet to see significant results apart from Haris Rauf. The program seems to generate hype but lacks tangible results at the international level,” remarked Hafeez.
Azhar Ali echoed similar sentiments, pointing out the inclusion of established players like Fakhar Zaman in Lahore Qalandars’ squad, which suggests a reliance on pre-existing talent rather than solely on the PDP for player development.
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“They have also added Fakhar Zaman and many other players who were already in the system,” Azhar observed.
Launched in 2016, Lahore Qalandars’ Player Development Program aims to unearth and nurture young cricket talents who have not been part of Pakistan’s domestic cricket setup before.
The program conducts trials across different cities, forming city-based teams that compete in tournaments supervised by the Qalandars.
Standout players are then selected for advanced training at the Qalandars High-Performance Center (QHPC) in Lahore.
Despite its initiatives, the program faces scrutiny from cricketing veterans like Hafeez and Azhar, who question its ability to deliver consistent results on the international stage.
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