The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to fine players who will fail to meet the fitness standards. Players currently falling under the central contract list are set to take part in series of fitness tests this month. The fitness tests will take place under the guardianship of the Yasir Malik, who is the strength and conditioning coach of the Pakistan national cricket team. Star performers including the likes of skipper Babar Azam, former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, speed merchant Shaheen Afridi all have been handed central contracts by the Pakistani cricket board.
As per the official announcement made by the apex cricket board of Pakistan, the fourth term fitness tests will be held at the National Cricket Academy on January 6 and 7 respectively. PCB also mentioned that the two day fitness camp at the National Cricket Academy is based on fat analysis, strength, endurance, speed endurance and cross-fit. All five areas will carry equal weightage.
“A player failing to meet the minimum fitness requirements will be fined 15 per cent of his monthly retainer, which will remain effective until such time he achieves the minimum fitness standards,” PCB said in the statement. “Player failing consecutive tests will risk the chances of retaining his central contract category and may face demotion,” PCB added.
Player like Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir and Shadab Khan, who are plying their trade in the Bangladesh Premier League will undergo the fitness tests on January 20 and 21. The decision has come in the aftermath of players getting heavily condemned for failing to set desired benchmarks when it comes to meeting the required fitness standards to play the gentlemen’s game. “All the available centrally contracted players will attend the two-day testing, which is aligned to their contracts,” it added.
Centrally contracted Pakistani players:
Category A – Babar Azam, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Yasir Shah.
Category B – Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Abbas, Shadab Khan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Category C – Abid Ali, Hasan Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Shan Masood, Usman Shinwari, and Wahab Riaz.
