PCB reviews squad and player concerns at a review meeting and criticises prior leadership

Players’ injuries during the most recent Asia Cup were blamed on the previous administration at a review meeting held by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

To evaluate the performance of the Pakistan Men’s Cricket team in the ACC Asia Cup 2023, key individuals including PCB Chairman Management Committee Zaka Ashraf, head coach Mickey Arthur, captain Babar Azam, vice-captain Shadab Khan, and former captains Misbah-ul-Haq and Mohammad Hafeez gathered.

All three coaches from the national coaching staff—bowling coach Morne Morkel, batting coach Andrew Puttick, and head coach Grant Bradburn—met to discuss the team’s recent performance in-depth. Insights into the players’ injuries and future rehabilitation strategies were also presented by Dr. Sohail Saleem.

The panel examined a wide range of factors in depth, including team performance, player fitness, and potential future tactics to raise the side’s performance. The necessity of a better approach and strategy surrounding player workload as well as the significance of developing a stronger bench were two major conclusions from the meeting.

The chairman of the management committee, Zaka Ashraf, underlined the value of open dialogue and reaching a consensus, saying, “Discussion revealed that the previous management had permitted a number of players to play league cricket, which caused them to be weary before their national duty. But moving forward, we’ve decided to create a proactive strategy to address players’ workloads and give national service a priority,” according to Cricket Pakistan.

With so much skill on the team, Ashraf was upbeat about their potential, adding, “We believe they can compete and win at the top level. We are committed to provide our top-notch hitters and bowlers the materials and support they need in order to be prepared for the major event.

Due to a medical emergency, chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq was unable to attend the meeting but met with Zaka Ashraf later to offer his opinion. Following the review, Inzamam decided on the final lineup for Pakistan’s ICC World Cup team, which will be formally unveiled at a press conference on Friday morning at 11:15 a.m. at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.