Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is contemplating sending the national team to England two weeks prior to the official tour date, media reported on Thursday.
According to a PCB official, chief selector Inzamamul Haq and head coach Mickey Arthur have suggested that a training camp be set up in Hampshire in mid-June. “The idea is that the Pakistani players selected for the four-match Test series should attend a camp in Hampshire so that the new coach and support staff can work on them and prepare them for the expected tough series,” the official said.
The board had initially rejected the proposal to send the team early to England to acclimatise to conditions, but after intervention from Inzamam and Arthur, is now giving a serious thought to the idea despite the expenses involved in such an exercise.
Inzamam is also likely to travel to England to watch the players and help them out. “The chief selector is responsive to the idea of going to England to watch the camp since Pakistan A team and Pakistan women’s team are also scheduled to play there this summer,” the official said.
Meanwhile, the national team is scheduled to play first of four Tests from July 13, followed by a five-match one-day series and one T20 match.
No England tour for Ahmed Shehzad
Pakistan Cricket Board informed Ahmed Shehzad that he will not be a part of the national team’s training camp for the tour of England.
The Pakistani opening batsman, who was not included in a list of 35 probables for the boot camp which begins in Abbotabad from Friday, wrote to the board chairman Shaharyar Khan on the issue.
Referring to the new selection committee’s decision to drop him on disciplinary grounds, Shehzad wrote to the PCB that he would reform his behaviour and be more disciplined in future if he was given a chance to attend the camp.
According to sources the chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq had taken a strong stance on the matter despite some senior officials in the board being sympathetic to Shehzad.
“Inzamam told the board that if Shehzad was allowed to attend the camp it would set a bad precedent for the future and send a wrong message to the other players,” the source said.
“Inzamam has said he would discuss the selection of Shehzad with new head coach Mickey Arthur when he reaches Pakistan and see what course of action should be taken on the opener for the England tour”.
Another source didn’t rule out the possibility of Shehzad being a late inclusion in the camp.
“But for the moment he has been sent a reply by the board that they can’t allow him to attend the camp and he needs to work on his behaviour and cricket discipline.”
Inzamam also dropped batsman Umar Akmal for the camp, but he has not made any plea to the board and leaves on Thursday to play for Leicestershire in England and than in the Caribbean League.
Shehzad told reporters in Peshawar that he was keen to play for Pakistan.
“I am ready for all sacrifices and I am willing to do anything to get a chance to play for my country,” he said.