New Delhi: Former Pakistan cricket director Mohammad Hafeez has made a surprising revelation, saying former captain Babar Azam and former coaches Mickey Arthur and Grant Bradburn are set for the ODI World Cup in India. He claimed that the team’s fitness had been a low priority.
Under Babar’s captaincy, Pakistan had a disappointing performance at the World Cup, failing to reach the semi-finals and bringing their preparations under scrutiny.
“When I took over as manager (in 2023) and arrived in Australia, I told the team trainer to give a report on the fitness standards of the players,” Hafeez revealed on ARY Sports Channel.
“He told me that his former captain (Babar) and head coach (Arthur) told him six months ago that fitness was not a priority at the moment,” revealed Hafeez, who was shocked by the news. expressed that.
Hafeez also claimed that physical fitness tests conducted on players in Australia had shown worrying results, with some players not meeting international cricket standards.
“The skin folds (body fat levels) of the athletes were 1.5 points above normal,” Hafeez said.
Former Test captain Azhar Ali backed Hafeez’s claims, recalling the strict fitness norms enforced during the 2017 Champions Trophy in England.
Arthur, the former head coach who led Pakistan to victory in the Champions Trophy, is yet to respond to the allegations.
Hafeez’s revelations call into question the management’s approach to player fitness and performance management and highlight potential internal problems within the Pakistan cricket organization.
Under Babar’s captaincy, Pakistan had a disappointing performance at the World Cup, failing to reach the semi-finals and bringing their preparations under scrutiny.
“When I took over as manager (in 2023) and arrived in Australia, I told the team trainer to give a report on the fitness standards of the players,” Hafeez revealed on ARY Sports Channel.
“He told me that his former captain (Babar) and head coach (Arthur) told him six months ago that fitness was not a priority at the moment,” revealed Hafeez, who was shocked by the news. expressed that.
Hafeez also claimed that physical fitness tests conducted on players in Australia had shown worrying results, with some players not meeting international cricket standards.
“The skin folds (body fat levels) of the athletes were 1.5 points above normal,” Hafeez said.
Expanding
Arthur, the former head coach who led Pakistan to victory in the Champions Trophy, is yet to respond to the allegations.
Hafeez’s revelations call into question the management’s approach to player fitness and performance management and highlight potential internal problems within the Pakistan cricket organization.
(With inputs from PTI)