By Muhammad Saleem
LAHORE: The 20-day Skills Development Camp which began on 16th June at the National Cricket Academy, Lahore concluded Friday afternoon with a scenario-based 35-over match.
Over 40 men鈥檚 cricketers took part in intensive training and fitness sessions during the camp.
Speaking to the media at the LCCA Ground, Director High-Performance PCB Aqib Javed shared insights on the objectives and outcomes of the camp as Pakistan gears up for a packed cricket season at home and away. 鈥淭oday marks the end of the final phase, which focused on some of the Pakistan Shaheens players ahead of their England tour. Earlier phases focused on player-coach interaction with our national men鈥檚 team. Off-season is the ideal time for players to identify and address weaknesses, but our work doesn鈥檛 stop here,鈥 Aqib said.
After the Ashura break, the High-Performance setup will resume camps to prepare players heading to Darwin for a T20 tournament and the Test squad for South Africa鈥檚 tour of Pakistan. 鈥淲e鈥檙e working in parallel with the Shaheens and the red-ball team, and we鈥檙e preparing pitches that replicate home conditions to help players adjust ahead of our Test series, he said.鈥
While acknowledging the limitations of short camps, Aqib highlighted their importance in addressing team needs. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 fix everything in a week, but these camps help us fill gaps; whether it鈥檚 a spin all-rounder, a fast-bowling all-rounder, or wicket keeping options. We will continue these camps until October to scout and polish emerging talent.鈥
Pakistan鈥檚 sights are firmly set on the new ICC Test Championship cycle regarding, which Aqib stated, 鈥淚 believe Pakistan has a strong chance to win it. Every team looks to capitalise on home conditions, and our immediate focus is on winning the upcoming series against South Africa.鈥
Aqib also praised the players鈥 discipline during the Skills Development camp. 鈥淲hat impressed me most were players waking up at 5am, which added much-needed discipline and structure that will reflect in their skills and fitness over the next six months, he said.鈥
Talking about modern cricket鈥檚 demands, Aqib noted: 鈥淭he game now is highly skill-oriented and fast-paced, requiring players to perform specific roles in different phases, whether batting or bowling. Our training sessions were designed to refine these role-specific skills.鈥 He concluded by stating that selection decisions will continue to depend on conditions and formats as Pakistan prepares for an important season ahead.
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