Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) held a high-level review meeting to assess the team's performance in the just-concluded Asia Cup 2023. While Pakistan commenced the tournament with a resounding triumph against Nepal, the squad faced setbacks when they locked horns with India and Sri Lanka. Notably, their loss to India at the R Premadasa Stadium marked their biggest defeat in terms of run margin in the ODI history shared between the two arch-rivals.
Ensuring a thorough review, the meeting saw the presence of eminent personalities from the Pakistani cricket world. Alongside PCB chief Zaka Ashraf, coach Mickey Arthur, current captain Babar Azam, vice-captain Shadab Khan, and cricket veterans Mohammad Hafeez and Misbah-ul-Haq were in attendance.
A critical revelation from the gathering highlighted the pressing concern of player fatigue. The over-commitment of Pakistani cricketers to various foreign T20 leagues surfaced as a primary contributor to the team's underwhelming Asia Cup journey.
Zaka Ashraf elaborated on the core philosophy behind this extensive review, stating, “The philosophy behind this review was to create an atmosphere of open discussion and develop consensus. The idea is to have everyone on board and debate about performances, identifying the problems and their solutions. We have to debate strengths and weaknesses so that we are clear about what and where we need to invest for the betterment of our team.”
He further added insights into the past approach towards players' commitments, mentioning, “Discussion revealed that the previous management had allowed a lot of players to play league cricket, which caused them to be fatigued ahead of their national duty. But going forward, we have agreed to form a proactive approach to tackling players' workload and give national duty a priority.”
In the face of these challenges, optimism remains at the heart of PCB's aspirations. Ashraf showcased unwavering confidence in the Pakistani squad, emphasizing their potential to excel in the imminent World Cup set to unravel on Indian terrains.
Expressing his conviction, he remarked, “I am glad we had a good positive review session and are on the same page. We are confident that the experience gained in the Asia Cup was a learning curve and will help prepare for the ICC Men's World Cup.”
Highlighting the team's strengths, he concluded, “Our team is filled with talent, and we believe they have the capability to compete and win at the highest level. We have world-class batters and bowlers and are committed to providing them with the necessary support and resources to ensure they are well-equipped ahead of the mega event.”
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