Former Pakistan Cricket Director Muhammad Hafeez has claimed that former national team captain Babar Azam and foreign coaches Mickey Arthur and Grant Bradburn gave the team’s fitness the lowest priority in the ODI World Cup in India.
In addition, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had announced not to extend Mohammad Hafeez’s contract after the disappointing tours of Australia and New Zealand. Director was appointed.
Soon after Mohammad Hafeez took charge, Australia whitewashed Pakistan in a three-Test series, while losing the five-match T20I series against the Kiwis 4–1.
Talking to a private sports channel, Mohammad Hafeez revealed that ‘When I took over as director (in 2023) and we reached Australia, I asked the team trainer to give me a report on the fitness standard of the players and the fitness level. Develop a new method.
The former cricketer said, “The trainer revealed that 6 months ago, the team director, former captain (Babar) and head coach (Mickey Arthur) said that fitness is not a priority at the moment and let the players play as they want.” ‘
Mohammad Hafeez added, ‘It was shocking news for me when the team trainer told me that he was told not to check the fitness of the players’.
Hafeez said that after becoming the director, when he checked the body fat level of the players, the fat level of all the players was not at all according to international cricket standards.
Mohammad Hafeez alleged that when some players were tested in Australia, they could not even complete a two-kilometer run, ‘fitness is a top priority for all teams in modern day cricket.’
He alleged that ‘the players’ body fat levels were one and a half points above the normal range.’
Mohammad Hafeez also said that it took him three months to convince Babar Azam to leave his opening slot in T20 cricket and bat at number three.
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2024-05-04 19:10:59