Pakistan cricketers undergoing 15-day Army 'training' in mountains

Karachi, June 10 (UNI) After the Indian Cricket team experimented with Army style fitness camps, its the turn of their arch rivals Pakistan to sweat it out in combat mode during the 15-day training camp in mountainous Abbottabad.

The Pakistan Cricket team's 20-member provisional team is undergoing a training camp under Pakistan Army's leading physical instructors.

Pakistan Army's top notch physical training expert Colonel Talat has assured the national cricket team management that players would leave the camp ''fitter and stronger''.

Team manager Talat Ali Malik told 'The News' that he and members of his support staff had a detailed and fruitful meeting with Army instructors, adding that he is convinced his players would gain a lot from the exercise.

He said the team management has informed the military trainers the players have to improve their general fitness and stamina.

''Their (Army) trainers have assured us that our cricketers would gain a lot by carrying out high-altitude training with them.'' ''We have worked out a tough schedule for the players and they will be training for six hours a day or even more during the camp.'' ''Our prime objective is to help our players get fitter and I am confident that this camp would be of great help,'' said the former Test cricketer, who is currently acting as Pakistan's interim coach.

The short-term objective of the training camp, which started yesterday, is to prepare the players for a brief tour of Scotland getting underway at the end of this month. Pakistan are to play a one-dayer against India in Glasgow and another ODI against Scotland early next month.

But Talat said the camp would actually kick-start a campaign aimed at enforcing a regimental fitness culture among the national cricketers.

''This camp would be the first of several similar exercises we have planned for our cricketers in the coming months.

''We believe our players have to improve their fitness in order to give a better show in a series of international assignments this season,'' he said.

Pakistan have a packed schedule later this year as they have to figure in the inaugural Twenty20 Cup in South Africa in September and would later host the Proteas in September-October, an assignment that would be followed by an important tour of India in November-December.

''The players would have three-hour physical training sessions in the morning and would then have cricket training in the evening, sessions that would last for three hours or even four,'' Talat added.

The team manager will have three specialised coaches and a team of physical instructors to support him. Former Test cricketer Haroon Rasheed would be the batting coach while Aaqib Javed would work with the bowlers. Haroon's younger brother Mohtashim Rasheed would be the fielding coach.

National selectors would also be present at the camp to assess the players' form and fitness for about a week before naming a 14-man squad for the tour of Scotland on June 16.

UNI