ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that its Chairman Mohsin Naqvi will head a high-level “Connection Camp” on Monday that will feature the country’s elite cricketers and coaching staff aimed at restoring the country’s cricket to its former glory.
The camp, which will be held at a local hotel, will bring together Pakistan’s white-ball captain Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Test captain Shan Masood. They will also be joined by national team head coaches Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten, assistant coach Azhar Mahmood and high performance specialist David Reid.
The development takes place with fans and critics alarmed at the state of affairs of the sport in the country. Since 2023, Pakistan has lost to Afghanistan, Ireland, United States and Bangladesh in all three formats of the game.
The green shirts were whitewashed 2-0 by Bangladesh earlier this month. Pakistan have not won a single Test match at home since December 2021, leading many to wonder whether the sport is headed for a certain decline in the country.
“The Connection Camp is a critical step toward unifying our approach to restore Pakistan cricket to its former glory,” Naqvi said in a statement. “Our aim is to identify key issues, foster open dialogue and collectively agree on a strategic path forward.”
The session will focus on fostering stronger collaboration between players and the PCB, the board said, adding it will reaffirm its commitment to supporting players in meeting strategic goals.
“The ultimate aim is for players to take a leading role in inspiring the next generation of cricketers through outstanding performances,” it said.
Masood said the discussions will help the cricketers set a strong course for the future. The Pakistani Test skipper said he was excited to be a part of this collaborative effort.
“The outcomes of the session will include performance benchmarks, player development programs and strategies to enhance grassroots cricket,” he said.
Pakistan’s red-ball head coach Gillespie described the camp as a “valuable opportunity” for open dialogue and alignment between the coaching staff and players.
“We’re all striving toward the same goal— raising the standard of Pakistan cricket and creating a culture of winning,” he said.
Kirsten noted it was his responsibility to provide the best environment where players thrive.
“We will focus on refining our approach in white-ball cricket to meet the standards of the highest levels of international competition,” he said.
While critics and experts have pointed to a lack of quality pitches and infrastructure in the country for Pakistan’s lackluster performances, many blame frequent changes in the PCB’s management in the past year and a lack of unity in the team for the poor performances.
