'English language classes & sessions on mental strength': Pakistan's Salman Agha praises PCB for pre-season camp

Pakistan all-rounder Salman Agha has lauded Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for organising pre-season camp which is not just limited to on-field training. Agha revealed that players have attended English language classes and mental conditioning sessions to help them prepare for international cricket.

"The camp has not only been about training on the ground. We have attended lectures off the field as well. We have had English language classes and sessions on mental strength. Experts have guided us on how to cope with pressure and become mentally stronger. Every aspect that a professional cricketer needs has been covered during this camp," he said as quoted by Geo News.

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Pakistan have faced early exits from multiple major ICC tournaments. Their last best performance was in T20 World Cup 2022 where they reached the final and lost to England. 

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Agha was not named captain for the Asian Games 2026. Sahibzada Farhan will lead the team after a stellar run with the bat in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Agha is currently preparing for red-ball cricket as Pakistan are set to play Test series on West Indies and England soil in next few months.

Agha on zero tolerance on fitness standards 

Agha said that he has been working on his fitness which has become a non-negotiable in Pakistan cricket now. He praised PCB for organising the pre-season camp as players hardly have time at hand to fine-tune their skills during off-season amid a hectic schedule. He feels that the hard work put in during the pre-season camp will pay dividends in Test cricket.

Agha revealed that players were put through fitness assessments and routines which were never a part of the PCB programme.

Agha works on his batting 

The 32-year-old also admitted that he needed to work on a few areas of his batting. He intends to bat longer after getting starts, something he has not been able to achieve of late. He wants to play for longer periods and score centuries.

Pakistan slip to bottom on WTC table

Pakistan are currently placed at the bottom of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 points table. From four Tests, they have lost three and won one. On top of the series whitewash against Bangladesh, they also faced an eight-point deduction due to slow over rate.