The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Mohsin Naqvi, has revealed plans for the national team, known as the Men in Green, to undergo military training alongside the nation’s army. Scheduled from March 25 to April 8, this intensive ten-day camp aims to enhance the players’ fitness levels, commencing shortly after the conclusion of the Pakistan Super League on March 18. Naqvi expresses optimism that this initiative will bring the players’ fitness up to the required standard.
Naqvi said: “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. 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 organised 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.”
This collaboration with the military is not unprecedented for the Pakistan cricket team. Previously, during Misbah-ul-Haq’s captaincy, the team engaged in a similar training program at Kakul Academy to prepare for a Test series against England. This endeavor proved fruitful, with Misbah himself scoring a century in the first Test and commemorating the achievement with ten pushups followed by a military salute.
Naqvi stresses the significance of players prioritizing national commitments over participation in T20 leagues worldwide, underscoring the importance of allegiance to the country’s cause.
Naqvi further added: “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 per cent, 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.”
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.