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Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan asked to attend Skills Development camp as T20I future looks bleak: 'It is about giving players clarity'
Babar Azam and Mohamad Rizwan will soon attend Skills development camp in Lahore. Image: Reuters
Former Pakistan cricket team captains Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have been asked by the country's governing board to attend a Skills and Development camp at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday said a total of 63 players for the camp, which will focus on helping the players develop their cricketing skills.
The announcement of the skill development camp and that Babar and Rizwan are joining it comes close on the heels of stunning media reports that the batting duo and Shaheen Shah Afridi do not feature in Pakistan selectors' plans for future T20I assignments .
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Babar, Rizwan asked to attend Skills Development camp
It's now expected that Babar and Rizwan would focus on their T20I hitting skills during the Skills and Development camp.
The first batch will include 47 players and the 20-day camp will start from 16 June.
As per the PCB, the players in the camp will work on fitness and fielding sessions from 6 am to 8 am, followed by skill-based sessions (net practice) from 2:30 pm to 6:30 pm at the Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) Ground and NCA from Monday to Thursday.
After training, the players will take part in match simulations at the LCCA Ground on Friday and Saturday.
PCB says players will be given one-on-one coaching sessions
The camp for the second batch will run from 23 June and include 16 players.
'We have invited 47 players to the 20-day skills camp at the National Cricket Academy following detailed discussions with white-ball head coach Mike Hesson,' Director High-Performance Aqib Javed said.
'This is an invaluable opportunity for the players to take a brief pause from competitive cricket and focus on enhancing their fitness and refining key aspects of their game.
'With a busy international calendar ahead, this window allows us to provide targeted support to the players, so they can return better prepared for the challenges to come.
'There is a complete alignment between the coaching staff at the National Cricket Academy and the national men's team. We are working in close coordination to ensure that every initiative contributes to the long-term progress of Pakistan cricket.
Javed added that players will be given one-on-one coaching sessions to identify the areas of improvement.
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'A central feature of this camp is the one-on-one coaching sessions. These personalised interactions allow each player to engage directly with coaches, understand the finer details of their game and identify areas that need attention. It is about giving players the clarity and tools to improve.
'In addition to supporting player development, this camp will also serve as a useful resource for the selectors as they begin to shape squads for both the Pakistan men's side and the Pakistan Shaheens ahead of upcoming international commitments.'
First batch of Pakistan players for Skills Development camp:
Aamir Jamal, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Babar Azam, Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza and Sufyan Moqim
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