The second phase of the Fast Track Programme of the PCB rolled into action here at the National Cricket Academy. Like the first phase in which batsmen and fast bowlers took training, spinners and wicket-keepers will be given specilised training in which spin legends Abdul Qadir and Tauseef Ahmed will share their experience with the upcoming spinners.
Talking to journalists, NCP chief Intikhab Alam said that the camp will be of two weeks duration and maximum possible effort would be made to remove the flaws of the spinners and during the same period wicket-keepers will also be looked after.
He further stated that apart from the camp training of these players, a brief camp of the national team will be called before Ramazan for Zimbabwe tour. “The team will be leaving for Harare in the last week, therefore, there will be a conditioning camp of around four days before the team’s departure,” he said. “The fast-track camps will continue till the end of July,” he added. Pakistan will play one Test, three ODIs and a T20 match during their three-week Zimbabwe tour.
He further said that the focus is not only on grooming the young players but also on the infusion of fresh blood in the national T20 team. “We want to regain the title Pakistan lost and hopefully a strong T20 team will be built to win the title in Sri Lanka next year,” said Intikhab.
Pakistan, who lost to India in the inaugural edition of the World Twenty20 Championship in South Africa in 2007, went on to capture the crown in England two years later. But they failed to defend the title in the Caribbean last year, losing to Australia in the semi-finals from a seemingly winning position.
It may lag far behind teams like old rivals India, South Africa and Australia in Tests and one-day internationals, but in Twenty20 cricket Pakistan has a better success ratio than any other side. They have in their ranks some of the most successful players in the Twenty20 format. However, in recent times the team’s performance in the version has dipped a bit. “We are in the process of making our plans for next year’s Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka and are confident of preparing the team well,” Intikhab said.
“Twenty20 is mostly a young man’s game,” said Intikhab, a former Test captain. “You have to have young guys who can hit the ball out of the park. You need guys who can really fight even while defending small totals. You need guys who are exceptionally good fielders. I’m sure that Pakistan currently has plenty of such guys.” “Several of the youngsters who featured in the first phase look seem to be really good,” said Intikhab, who has also served as Pakistan’s national coach. “We can even blood some of them in our national Twenty20 squad,” he added.
