The camp training of the Zimbabwe-bound Pakistan team started here at the National Cricket Academy.
Talking to journalists here ahead of the camp training, Manager Naveed Akram Cheema said that the players have been directed to adhere to the advice of seniors. “The players will be asked to follow the instructions of the seniors. My attitude will be to see the game played in its true spirit. It’s a gentleman’s game and I would like it to be played in that manner,” he said.
He informed that the camp, which will continue till August 21, would have three sessions daily with lectures and interaction followed by ground practice in all the departments of the game from 3 pm to 6 pm and then from 9 pm to 10 pm there will be indoor sessions. “We have kept the conditions in view and in any case there is any rain, the camp will move indoors so we would have maximum out of the sessions we have,” he said.
He further said that all the players are upbeat although they are meeting after about two months break and the players will be taught to act as a family. Misbah will be leading the team in the Zimbabwe series after Afridi announced retirement.
Pakistan have called a couple of young players in the new look team after senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf lost favour with the selectors while wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal, former captain Shoaib Malik and seasoned leg-spinner Danish Kaneria were left out over fixing suspicions. Pakistan fly out to Zimbabwe on August 25, said Cheema. After Zimbabwe, Pakistan play Sri Lanka in three Tests, five one-dayers and one Twenty20 match in the United Arab Emirates in October and November.