Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has extended a hand to 20 cricketers for a pre-season camp. These cricketers include the 14 centrally contracted men and 6 additional men.
The camp will be held at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore on August 19. The first 2 days will go into fitness testing and will go on for 17 days until 7th September.
Former Pakistan Cricket Team skipper Misbah-ul-Haq will join in on the action as support for the NCA coaching staff.
During the camp, the players will be put through a number of fielding drills and net sessions, as well as fitness and other activities revolving around cricket.
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On the other hand, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Abbas, Babar Azam, Imad Wasim, and Fakhar Zaman, have been exempted from the camp so that they can continue their contracts.
The 20-man camp will consist of:
- Abid Ali
- Asad Shafiq
- Azhar Ali
- Haris Sohail
- Hasan Ali
- Imam-ul-Haq
- Mohammad Rizwan
- Sarfaraz Ahmed
- Shadab Khan
- Shaheen Shah Afridi
- Shan Masood
- Usman Shinwari
- Wahab Riaz
- Yasir Shah
- Asif Ali
- Bilal Asif
- Iftikhar Ahmed
- Mir Hamza
- Rahat Ali
- Zafar Gohar
Non-participating centrally contracted players: Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas, and Mohammad Amir.
This conditioning camp is of great significance. The players will undergo strenuous training sessions to prepare for a demanding season, which will see Pakistan spend 30 of their 42 cricket-playing days in Test cricket.
Misbah ul Haq, who has been Pakistan’s most successful captain, understands the arduous demands of the format in this day and age. With the advent of the World Test Championship, the PCB wants Pakistan to turn up with their best red ball game when they face Sri Lanka in the two-match Test series at home.
Ahead of the Sri Lanka series, these players will be a part of the initial rounds of what will be a highly competitive Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. So, this camp will further benefit them in gearing up for an exciting cricketing season.
As five players are already playing active cricket in England and Wales, we have given exemptions to them but they have been advised to return to Pakistan in time to be available for the first round matches of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. -Zakir Khan, Director International Cricket
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