LAHORE: During the ongoing white ball training camp at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) on Sunday, Pakistan Men’s White Ball Head Coach Mike Hesson expressed his happiness at returning to the country and working closely with the up and coming players.
Speaking in a recent video shared on his official Instagram handle, Hesson highlighted the importance of the camp environment, noting that it provides a valuable opportunity to assess talent, build team chemistry and reconnect with the domestic cricket structure, including Pakistan Super League (PSL) programmes.
“It’s great to be back in Pakistan. We’re playing a practice match at the white-ball camp and it’s a great opportunity to work with new and experienced players,” said Mike Hesson.
“I haven’t spent much time with some of the new faces, so this camp has been valuable for getting to know everyone. I’ve also enjoyed watching the PSL where so many talented new players have emerged,” he added.
He highlighted the challenging environmental conditions and the team’s ongoing adaptation process, noting that despite the extreme heat, the team has been making steady progress in high-intensity training sessions.
“Conditions are very hot here with temperature of 43 degrees, but the players are training well and adapting strongly. We have set narrow boundaries on one side, which will be an interesting challenge for the bowlers,” said Hessen.
Speaking further on a personal note and wider preparation phase, the 51-year-old reflected on his return to Pakistan after recent health setbacks, while underlining the importance of building unity ahead of upcoming international assignments.
“Personally, it is nice to be back in Pakistan after some health issues before my return. Overall, we are preparing well for the upcoming series against Australia and want to build a strong partnership,” he concluded.
The recently launched camp is designed to prepare the team for the three-match ODI series against Australia to be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore from May 30 to June 4.
All three ODIs will start at 4:30 PM local time, with the toss scheduled for 4 PM.
PCB added that the NCA coaching staff will work with the Pakistan men’s white-ball team management to train and monitor the players during the camp.
The upcoming bilateral ODI series will mark Australia’s first tour of Pakistan in the 50-over format since March and April 2022, with the Men in Green winning the series 2-1.
Earlier this year, Australia toured Pakistan for a three-match T20I series in January and February, where the hosts completed a 3-0 clean sweep at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
Players Participating in NCA White-Ball Camp:
Ameer Jamal, Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniel, Akif Javed, Arafat Minhas, Faisal Akram, Faqar Zaman, Haider Ali, Hamza Naseer, Haris Rauf, Hunain Shah, Khawaja Mohammad Nafai, Mas Sadaqat, Mohammad Salman, Mohammad Salman, Mohammad Mamdas. Mirza, Naseem Shah, Saad Paik, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, Shatab Khan, Shamil Hussain, Subian Mukeem and Usman Khan.
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