ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s white-ball skipper Babar Azam on Sunday credited a military training camp in Kakul for strengthening unity in the national squad, amid reports of frition within the cricket team after former skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi was replaced with Azam last month.
Pakistan’s newly formed selection committee replaced Afridi with Azam as the team’s white-ball captain last Sunday. Afridi was sacked as skipper after Pakistan lost 4-1 to New Zealand in January and after the Lahore Qalandars, which won two back-to-back Pakistan Super League (PSL) trophies under his leadership, secured the last spot in this year’s PSL edition.
As the national team participated in a fitness camp organized by the Pakistan Army in Kakul, Abbottabad from March 26-April 8, local media featured reports about tensions between Azam and Afridi. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi rushed to the fitness camp in Kakul on Monday to meet Afridi, Azam and other players reportedly to calm tensions within the squad.
“This time, our focus extended beyond physical fitness to encompass team bonding activities and performance-improving lectures,” Azam said in a video message shared by the PCB.
“Unlike our usual routine during other camps and international series, we engaged in confidence-building exercises and team-building activities,” he added.
“Notably, we opted to share rooms, facilitating deeper connections among team members.”
The Pakistani captain said the shared spaces between Pakistani cricket players at the camp helped them discuss strategic planning and team combinations. He said the players also spoke about the evolution of cricket, latest innovations in the sport and analyzed their opponents.
“Given the upcoming cricket fixtures, this camp proves exceptionally valuable,” Azam said. “It not only mitigates injury risks but also augments both individual skills and collective team performance.”
Pakistan’s national cricket team will be put to the test as it faces New Zealand in a home T20I series in April, followed by an away T20I series against Ireland and England, and the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in USA and West Indies in June.
