PCB Plans US Training Stint for Pakistan Cricketers
Selected players will undergo specialised power-hitting and fitness sessions in the United States as part of a modernisation drive.
The Pakistan Cricket Board is arranging a specialised training programme in the United States for a small group of cricketers, with a strong focus on power-hitting and fitness. While the final details are being worked out and no players have been selected yet, the initiative aims to provide a fresh learning environment.
Mike Hesson, explaining the thinking behind the overseas stint, said the board wants to expose players to different power-hitting methods and recovery approaches for those with long-term injuries. Spending four months in one place, away from their usual surroundings, is expected to bring new ideas and sharpen Pakistan's white-ball batting.
The move is part of a broader collaboration with the US, going beyond strength and conditioning. Dr Javed Mughal, recently appointed as Director of Sports and Exercise Medicine, has introduced a fresh fitness philosophy describing it as non-negotiable. The US programme will align with his robust testing and screening battery now applied to all players.
One player under serious consideration for the trip is 18-year-old fast bowler Ali Raza, who recently helped Pakistan Under-19s in the Youth Asia Cup.