news

Pakistan’s training camp for Sri Lanka Test tour begins in Karachi

Pakistan is scheduled to play a two-match Test series starting on July 16

Pakistan’s training camp for Sri Lanka Test tour begins in Karachi PHOTO: FILE

The Pakistan cricket team kicked off their training camp on Tuesday in Karachi for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka later this month.

The camp currently includes 16 players, including captain Babar Azam, pacer Naseem Shah, and wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed. Hasan Ali and Shan Masood will join the camp tomorrow.

Despite not being part of the Test squad, spinner Zahid Mahmood and Sajid Ali have also been invited to participate in the camp.

Mohammad Rizwan, the wicketkeeper-batsman, was unable to attend the first session of the camp due to personal reasons but is expected to join later in the day.

Head coach Grant Bradburn is supervising the camp. Batting coach Andrew Puttick gave full attention to the batters during practice. Furthermore, fielding coach Aftab Khan supervised the players' catching practice.

The players will be allowed to leave the camp on Friday evening to attend Haris Rauf's wedding in Islamabad. They will reassemble in Karachi on Saturday and will leave for Sri Lanka, via Dubai, on the same day.

Itinerary of Pakistan's tour of Sri Lanka:

July 9 – Pakistan land in Colombo

11 and 12 July – Warm-up game

16-20 July – First Test at Galle International Cricket Stadium

24-28 July – Second Test at Singhalese Sports Club, Colombo

Pakistan squad

Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (vc & wk), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi, and Shan Masood

Player support personnel

Rehan-ul-Haq (team manager), Grant Bradburn (head coach), Andrew Puttick (batting coach), Morne Morkel (bowling coach), Aftab Khan (fielding coach), Abdul Rehman (assistant coach), Drikus Saaiman (strength and conditioning coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Ahsan Iftikhar Nagi (media and digital content manager), Lt Col Usman Anwari (Retd) (security manager), Talha Ejaz (analyst) and Malang Ali (masseur).