Recently resigned T20 captain Shahid Afridi and seasoned batsman Mohammad Hafeez opted out of the fitness tests due to varying degree of knee injuries. Afridi is nursing a niggle and excused himself from the tests via an email last week, the all-rounder claimed in a tweet that he is resting the knee in order to regain full fitness ahead of his T20 stint with English county Hampshire.
I have told @TheRealPCB that I won't be available for fintess test due to knee niggle1/2
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) May 8, 2016 ">I have told @TheRealPCB that I won't be available for fintess test due to knee niggle1/2
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) May 8, 2016
I want to regain fitness for Hampshire T20 stint. Will undergo fitness test as soon as I'm available for selection
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) May 8, 2016 ">I want to regain fitness for Hampshire T20 stint. Will undergo fitness test as soon as I'm available for selection
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) May 8, 2016
Hafeez who injured the back of his knee during the WorldT20 hasn’t recovered fully; he is currently undergoing a rehabilitation program under the supervision of the NCA doctors.
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“I hope to recover in the next two to three weeks, I will be travelling to Kakul for the training camp where my rehabilitation work would continue, I will try my best to attain full fitness before the England tour”, Hafeez told The Express Tribune.
Other than Afridi and Hafeez, young batting all-rounders Imad Wasim and Haris Sohail also missed out on the fitness tests.
Haris who recently underwent knee surgery in Dubai, is like Hafeez undergoing a rehabilitation process, whereas Imad, who recently missed out on the recently concluded Pakistan Cup, is recuperating from an ankle injury.
Five day fitness tests get underway at NCA
Fitness tests for centrally contracted national players began in earnest at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore on Sunday.
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Team trainer Grant Luden spent a gruelling day with leading players like Younus Khan, Ahmed Shehzad, Umar Akmal who took part in the tests spread over four sessions, each player was tested for stamina, endurance and agility under the oppressive Lahore sun.
Test captain Misbahul Haq, who is currently in Saudi Arabia is expected to go through the fitness test grind on his return, the tests will be carried out for five days after which Luden is expected to submit a detailed report to the PCB and selection panel led by Inzamamul Haq.
Once the fitness tests are done with, the players and coaching staff will travel to Kakul for the 20 day long training camp set to commence on May 14 under the supervision of Army trainers.
Shehzad and Akmal have both been dropped for the camp but were called to appear in the tests since they are centrally contracted by the PCB.
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