Players like Khushdil Shah, Khawaja Nafay, and Abbas Afridi are also part of the group
10 January, 2025
PHOTO: FILE
Young middle-order batter Haider Ali is among 25 players chosen for Pakistan's new "strike-force" camp, which begins Monday in Lahore. The 90-day camp is focused on improving power-hitting skills and will be led by former all-rounder Abdul Razzaq.
Players like Khushdil Shah, Khawaja Nafay, and Abbas Afridi are also part of the group. All selected players are expected to report for the camp on Sunday. To ensure their participation, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has instructed their release from departmental teams currently playing in the President’s Trophy Grade-I.
This initiative is part of PCB’s plan to strengthen Pakistan’s T20 squad by introducing fresh talent. According to sources, the transition is expected to be completed within a year.
Pakistan has faced challenges in T20 cricket recently. After a disappointing T20 World Cup 2024 campaign, the team has struggled in bilateral series.
Last month, Pakistan played a T20I series against Australia, where they suffered a 3-0 whitewash. While they managed to beat Zimbabwe 2-1 in another series, their performance remained inconsistent, losing the final game.
On the ongoing tour of South Africa, the team lost the first two T20Is, while the third match was abandoned due to rain, resulting in a 2-0 series loss.
The camp will focus on honing the power-hitting abilities of Pakistan’s top batters. Abdul Razzaq, known for his aggressive batting during his career, will oversee the sessions.
The PCB hopes this initiative will help rebuild the national T20 squad and address their recent struggles in the shortest format.
Players called for strike-force camp:
Abdul Samad, Haider Ali, Yasir Khan, Khushdil Shah, Muhammad Akhlaq, Imran Randhawa, Saad Masood, Mubasir Khan, Hassan Nawaz, Khawaja Nafay, Muhammad Amir Barki, Mohammad Faizan, Afaq Ahmed, Jahandad Khan, Amad Butt, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Usman Khan, Khayam Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Shawaiz Irfan, Basit Ali, Mohammad Faiq, Ali Imran, Sarwar Afridi and Nasir Nawaz.
