LAHORE: Pakistan white-ball head coach Mike Hesson has stressed the importance of exercise, conditioning and skill development as the ongoing white-ball camp at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) enters its next phase.
Talking about the camp, Hesson revealed that around 27 to 28 players are currently participating, including white-ball specialists and players who have been identified as part of Pakistan’s future plans.
According to Hessen, the first two weeks of camp were devoted to medical examination, fitness testing and player evaluations to establish a clear understanding of each player’s current physical condition.
He said the camp will now focus on skill development along with fitness training, adding that the team has approximately three months to make significant improvements in conditioning ahead of the upcoming international assignments.
Hesson praised Dr Javed Moghali for setting high standards in clinical testing and conditioning, stressing that a demanding training program is necessary to meet the demands of modern international cricket.
“Training is tough, but it is necessary. Players need to be physically fit and physically strong to cope with the demands of international cricket,” said Hessen.
He said the training staff works extensively on both fitness and strength, with each player receiving an individualized performance plan tailored to their specific needs.
Over the next three weeks, each player will have clearly defined areas of focus, with coaches working on the technical, tactical, medical and conditioning aspects of their development.
“We work with purpose. We don’t go back to practice every day,” Hessen noted, highlighting the collective effort by NCA staff to improve player performance.
The head coach welcomed the opportunity to work with the emerging Under-19 talent, revealing that he had recently met promising youngsters Samir Minhas and Farhan Yousuf and had been working closely with Ali Raza and Abdul Subhan over the past month.
Hesson stressed the importance of exposing young players to the quality required at the highest level and providing them with the experience and challenges they need to represent Pakistan.
Looking ahead, he noted that there is enough time to build a competitive squad for the upcoming Asian Games, describing the team as a balanced mix of experienced players and emerging talent.
He further underlined the importance of preparing the players with the ODI World Cup in mind, reiterating that the ongoing white-ball camp is designed to improve sportsmanship, conditioning and cricketing skills in the squad.
White-ball Camp Squad (27 players):
Abdul Samad, Abdul Subban, Ahmed Daniel, Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Arafat Minhas, Faisal Akram, Faqar Zaman, Farhan Yusuf, Haider Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Khawaja Muhammad Nafai, Mas Sadaqat, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem, Shah, Rasullah, Mas Shah, Rasullah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Sameer Minhas, Shatab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shamil Hussain, Sufyan Mokim and Usman Khan.