The Pakistan Cricket Board has analyzed the reason behind the injuries to key players in the Asia Cup 2023 and blamed the previous administration for their decision to allow the Pakistan players to play in the various franchise T20 leagues around the globe.
Zaka Ashraf, the chairman of the PCB Management Committee, met with Mickey Arthur, Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, Misbah ul Haq, and Mohammad Hafeez on Wednesday night to discuss the performance of the Pakistan Men’s Cricket Team in the Asia Cup 2023 and things to work on going forward into the ODI World Cup in India.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Zaka Ashraf revealed that the idea to have everyone part of Pakistan cricket in the meeting is to identify the problems in the team and have solutions going into the World Cup. He also said that the key players’ injuries may have been caused by previous PCB management allowing the players to play in different leagues.
“The philosophy behind this review was to create an atmosphere of open discussion and develop consensus. The idea is to have everyone on board and debate about performances, identifying the problems and their solutions. We have to debate strengths and weaknesses so that we are clear about what and where we need to invest for the betterment of our team.
“Discussion revealed that the previous management had allowed a lot of players to play league cricket which caused them to fatigued ahead of their national duty. But going forward we have agreed to form a proactive approach to tackle players’ workload and give national duty a priority,” Zaka Ashraf said.
Every facet of previous team performance, player fitness, and future plans were thoroughly examined with the goal of putting improvement to one side. On improving the approach and plan for managing players’ workload, there was consensus. Additionally, the necessity of bench strengthening was emphasized.
I Am Glad We Had A Good Positive Review Session And Are On The Same Page – Zaka Ashraf
Zaka Ashraf is pleased with the meeting’s outcome because it shows that all members of the Pakistan Cricket Board are on the same page heading into the ODI World Cup in India. He also thinks the team is capable of competing at the highest level and says the team will provide the team with the opportunities and support it needs to succeed in the country’s major event.
“I am glad we had a good positive review session and are on the same page. We are confident that the experience gained in the Asia Cup was a learning curve and will help prepare for the ICC Men’s World Cup”.
“Our team is filled with talent, and we believe they have the capability to compete and win at the highest level. We have world-class batters and bowlers and are committed to providing them with the necessary support and resources to ensure they are well-equipped ahead of the mega event,” Zaka Ashraf added.
Pakistan has always been one of the strongest sides in world cricket and the Men in Green have performed consistently well but fell short in the Asia Cup 2023, failing to qualify being the World No.1 ranked team in the world and the Babar Azam-led side will look to turn things around going into the marquee event in India.