Former all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez recently highlighted the fitness issues plaguing the current Pakistan cricket team.
In a podcast with Michael Vaughan and Adam Gilchrist, Hafeez, who previously served as the Director of the Pakistan cricket team, expressed concerns about the team’s physical condition under former coaches Mickey Arthur and Grant Bradburn, as well as current captain Babar Azam.
He pointed out that inadequate focus on player fitness had negatively impacted the team’s performance in recent Test series in Australia.
Hafeez recounted a conversation with the team’s trainer, expressing disappointment with the trainer’s compliance with directives from past management regarding fitness standards.
“When I retired from this team, I ticked all the boxes of fitness. If I could do it at the age of 41, then why can’t the others? When I joined the team as Director, I noticed the players’ fat percentage had increased, and their running ability had decreased. I asked the trainer what had happened and why the players weren’t able to pass the tests,” Hafeez explained.
“He revealed a very shocking fact that the last management asked him to disregard the fitness equation and let the players play how they wanted until the World Cup 2023,” he continued.
“I was like, why didn’t you resign immediately if someone asked you not to do your job? Just say that this is not the way to handle international cricketers. He said he couldn’t do anything because he followed the management’s directions. That was why we struggled in the final innings of the Test series against Australia. We looked fatigued because we lacked the necessary fitness level,” Hafeez concluded.
Earlier, Hafeez disclosed that fitness was not given priority, expressing concern over the neglect of fitness within the team, citing discussions with then-captain Babar Azam and the coaching staff.
Hafeez noted a troubling trend regarding the players’ body fat levels, which are crucial indicators of fitness and performance.
It is worth noting that Pakistan has faced a string of disappointments recently, including poor performances in the Asia Cup and the ODI World Cup.
They suffered a Test series whitewash against Australia, with Shan Masood taking over the captaincy from Babar Azam. Additionally, they lost the T20I series to New Zealand by a significant margin.
