Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday chaired a meeting with the board’s selection committee and mentors to discuss the national team’s recent performance and fitness levels, sources told Geo News.
The joint meeting held between the officials lasted for almost two hours, said the sources.
Naqvi, according to the sources, first held a separate meeting with the mentors, followed by a joint discussion with also the selection committee members in presence.
In addition, the meeting shed light on the fitness levels of the players which has remained a hinderance in winning matches recently.
During the session, the selection committee briefed the chairman on the potential changes to the team.
In this regard, Chairman Naqvi and mentors agreed that the performance evaluation of new players as well as the fitness assessments will be completed by the end of the current series.
It is worth noting that the 45-year-old emphasised on the improvements in the quality of pitches.
The meeting was attended by Aqib Javed, Azhar Ali, Aleem Dar, Hasan Cheema, and advisor Bilal Afzal, while Abdullah Khurram Niazi, the director of domestic cricket and Nadeem Khan, the director of high performance were also present during the huddle.
Mentors Shoaib Malik, Misbah-ul-Haq, Waqar Younis, and Saqlain Mushtaq attended the meeting in person, while Sarfaraz Ahmed and selection committee member Asad Shafiq participated via video link.
The discussion was scheduled after witnessing Pakistan’s poor performances in the recent Test series against England.
It should be noted that the team has now lost six consecutive Test fixtures, with 3-0 defeat against the Three Lions and previously 2-0 home whitewash by Bangladesh.
In order to stay in the tournament, the Shan Masood-led side must perform well, as their previous performance has badly affected their rankings, with Pakistan now ranked No. 9.
The second Test between Pakistan and England is set to kick off on October 15 at the Multan Cricket Stadium.
Sohail Imran Sohail Imran is a senior reporter for Geo News.
