Pakistan cricketers pick up injuries in training camp

By Omar Khalid, IANS,

Karachi : Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) attempts to improve the fielding standards of the team ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup have resulted in senior players getting injured in the ongoing national training camp at Lahore’s National Cricket Academy.


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The camp for the World Cup, which will be held later this month, is being held under new coach Waqar Younis and the cricketers are going through physically demanding drills in a bid to improve their fielding.

Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi injured his finger while attending one of the training sessions last week and now pacer Umar Gul and all-rounders Fawad Alam and Yasir Arafat are also on the injured-list.

Gul, who is already struggling for form, has suffered a shoulder injury, Fawad has injured his hand while Arafat is carrying a calf injury.

Afridi, however, said Tuesday that neither of the injuries was of a serious nature.

“There is nothing serious. Gul has a shoulder problem but I hope he would be okay in a few days while the rest of the boys should also be fully fit soon.”

Afridi, 30, said that his players were learning a lot from the training sessions.

“There have been fitness problems but it’s natural because the camp has been tough so far. The boys are learning and I’m confident that our fielding will improve.”

The experienced all-rounder said that the team management is planning to slow down the pace of the camp a bit to allow the players to rejuvenate before leaving for the West Indies.

“We will switch to lighter training in the final phase of the camp so that the players are fresh when we leave home to play the Twenty20 World Cup.”

Afridi will lead Pakistan to defend the title in the Twenty20 World Cup. Pakistan have been bracketed with title contenders Australia and minnows Bangladesh.

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