Hafeez accuses Babar Azam of neglecting fitness standards

Former PCB Director Mohammad Hafeez has revealed the lack of emphasis on fitness standards within the Pakistan cricket team. 

While speaking on a local sports channel, Hafeez disclosed that fitness was not given priority and expressed concern over the neglect of fitness within the team, citing discussions with then-captain Babar Azam and the coaching staff. 

“When we reached Australia, I spoke to the team, the captain (Babar Azam), and the management and told them to prioritise fitness. I asked the trainer about the standards of fitness which are being followed. But the trainer told me, six months ago, the management and captain had instructed me not to prioritise fitness and not to check the fitness of the players, and let them play their natural game.” Hafeez said.

Moreover, Hafeez noted a concerning trend regarding the players' body fat levels, which are crucial indicators of fitness and performance

“After six months when I observed them, the fat level, which plays an important role in the international level of the players, had transcended almost twice the standard level,” he further added.

It is worth noting that Pakistan has faced a string of disappointments lately, including poor performances in the Asia Cup and the ODI World Cup. They suffered a Test series whitewash against Australia, with Shan Masood taking over the captaincy from Babar Azam. Additionally, they lost the T20I series to New Zealand by a significant margin.