‘Pak should address weaknesses’

Shaheen Afridi praises India’s T20 World Cup victory over South Africa in final

Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi expressed that Team India deserved their victory in the T20 World Cup 2024 due to their performance in the final against South Africa, held in Barbados on Saturday.

India secured a 7-run win over the Proteas, claiming their second T20 World Cup title after a 17-year gap.

Shaheen, speaking to reporters in London, shared his thoughts on the match: “I watched the game and enjoyed it. Both teams played well, but on the day, the team that manages pressure best wins. India played a good brand of cricket and deserved to win.”

He also emphasized that Pakistan needs to address their weaknesses after being eliminated in the league stage of the tournament.

“Strong teams compete in the World Cup and they come after going through a process. I think we need to correct few things and if we work hard, results will be with us,” he added.

Rizwan responds to PCB Chairman’s ‘surgery’ remarks

Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batter, Mohammad Rizwan, has acknowledged the criticism aimed at the national team following their premature departure from the T20 World Cup 2024 co-hosted by the USA and West Indies.

Speaking to reporters in Peshawar, Rizwan accepted the scrutiny, emphasizing that criticism is a natural part of sports and essential for improvement.

“The criticism the team is facing is justified, and we deserve this since we didn’t perform in accordance with expectations. Players who can’t face criticism won’t be able to succeed,” Rizwan said while talking to media in Peshawar,” Rizwan said.

“We are disappointed with our performance in the T20 World Cup. There are multiple reasons behind our losses. When a team loses, one can’t say that bowling and batting is doing well,” he added.

The wicket-keeper batter also addressed PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi’s suggestion to implement reforms in Pakistan cricket.

“Operations are a normal thing. When a person is ill, operation is necessary,” he said.

“PCB Chairman is a hard-working person. The decision about who will remain in the team and who will not is the chairman’s right,” he concluded.

It is worth noting that the Men in Green had a disappointing T20 World Cup campaign. They faced an upset defeat at the hands of co-hosts the USA, followed by a crucial loss against arch-rivals India.

Despite winning their last two matches against Canada and Ireland, it wasn’t enough to advance to the next round, resulting in their elimination from the tournament.

PCB revives Yo-Yo test to ensure players’ fitness

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to reintroduce the Yo-Yo test to improve the fitness of players across the country, as reported by a local news channel.

In the past, the Yo-Yo test was not conducted regularly, but the new Director of Domestic Cricket, Khurram Niazi, has approved a comprehensive plan to enhance fitness standards.

According to the plan, fitness tests will be carried out in two phases starting from July 11. In the first phase, tests will be conducted nationwide, beginning at the district level and then moving up to the regional level.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has also given his approval for this fitness initiative.

Players who fail the fitness tests will face consequences, including being dropped from both national and regional teams. Niazi has emphasized that passing the fitness tests, including the Yo-Yo test, is now a requirement for regional contracts and team selection.

The fitness tests are mandatory for all players, including test cricketers, international players, and those playing at the national level.

What is the Yo-Yo Test?

The Yo-Yo test is a fitness assessment that measures a player’s aerobic endurance by running between two cones set 20 meters apart. When a beep sounds, the player must reach the opposite cone by the next beep, then return to the starting cone by the third beep. Completing this round-trip counts as one shuttle.

There is a seven-second rest period between each shuttle. As the levels progress, the time allowed to complete each shuttle decreases, and the number of shuttles per level increases, making the test more challenging. The test starts at level 5 and can go up to level 23. A player’s test ends when they miss two consecutive beeps.

The results of the test are recorded using software, ensuring accuracy and transparency.