Shaheen Afridi and Mike Hesson Discuss Future Strategies

LAHORE: The national training camp in Lahore entered its second day, with seven players participating in the Wednesday morning session. The participants included Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abdullah Shafique, Mehran Mumtaz, Khurram Shehzad, Haider Ali, Khawaja Nafi, and Ahmad Daniyal.

An additional training session occurred in the afternoon, overseen by head coach Mike Hesson, along with the coaching staff specializing in bowling, batting, and fielding disciplines.

Sources indicate that fast bowler Shaheen Afridi abstained from participating in ground drills. Afridi, who returned from overseas following the Pakistan Super League (PSL), arrived in Lahore Wednesday morning specifically to engage with head coach Mike Hesson.

The pair engaged in an extensive conversation regarding the team’s upcoming strategies.

In a statement shared on social media, Mike Hesson conveyed his satisfaction with the session held at the National Cricket Academy, highlighting it as a crucial opportunity for coaches and players to develop familiarity with one another.

He also posted images from the training session, underscoring the session’s value in fostering team cohesion.

Babar Azam was present on the opening day of the camp, while Mohammad Rizwan is scheduled to join on the concluding day.

The three-day camp, featuring 22 of Pakistan’s leading white-ball cricketers, commenced at the Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) Ground, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced Tuesday. The players were divided into three groups, reporting to the camp on June 3, 4, and 5, respectively.

The initial group, consisting of Babar Azam, Abbas Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Salman Mirza, Shahid Aziz, and Usman Khan, participated in various sessions Tuesday, guided by the national team management, headed by Hesson.

Sources reveal that the PCB is utilizing the camp to brief players on the team’s future direction, alongside assessing their physical condition and recent performances.

Furthermore, head coach Hesson is slated to meet individually with high-performing players to deliberate on the roadmap for Pakistan’s white-ball squad.

Pakistan’s white-ball team recently embarked on a new phase under the guidance of Hesson, the former New Zealand coach.

The 50-year-old quickly made his mark, steering the team to a 3-0 T20I series victory against Bangladesh — Pakistan’s first home series win since December 2021.

Following this series triumph, the team is anticipated to take a brief respite before potentially returning to Bangladesh next month for another T20I series.