WEBDESK: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is launching its skills development camp, inviting 22 top white-ball players, including star batsmen Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, along with pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi. The PCB skills development camp is being held from June 16th under the leadership of newly appointed head coach Mike Hesson.
The PCB skills development camp aims to evaluate players’ fitness, review recent performances, and align them with the new coaching direction ahead of upcoming international assignments, including a T20 series in Bangladesh. The three-day camp is being seen as a key step in preparing the national squad for future white-ball matches.
Pakistan’s next assignment will be against Bangladesh next month, freeing up space for the PCB to gauge player readiness and improve their skills. A total of 47 players have been invited to participate in PCB’s Skills Development Camp, which will be conducted in three phases. The first batch, comprising 15 players, will train until 21 June. Subsequent groups of 16 players each will take over from 23–28 June and 30 June–5 July, respectively.
The initial group includes notable names such as Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Abrar Ahmed, and Mohammad Nawaz. Young prospects like Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, and Sufyan Moqim are also part of the mix, highlighting the PCB’s intention to blend experience with emerging talent.
During the camp, players are undergoing physical assessments, technical training, and strategy sessions. Coach Mike Hesson has laid out his vision and goals, which focus on consistency, adaptability, and match preparedness.
In addition to player development, the PCB Skills Development Camp will also aid selectors in identifying players for upcoming tours of the West Indies and Bangladesh, as well as the Pakistan Shaheens’ tour of England.
Pakistan will face Bangladesh in three T20Is before travelling to the West Indies for five matches in the same format.
The PCB skills development camp reflects a fresh start for the team following recent international challenges. Hesson’s approach emphasizes data-driven performance analysis and skill refinement tailored to modern white-ball cricket.
