PCB might scrap idea of training camp ahead of England tour

KARACHI: Whether or not to hold a pre-tour training camp is the question for Pakistan’s cricket authorities ahead of this summer’s English sojourn.

Well-placed sources told ‘The News’ on Monday that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is facing problems on various fronts in its efforts to create bio-secure conditions for a much-needed training camp ahead of the tour of England.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had planned a training camp at Lahore’s National Cricket Academy during this month but so far they have failed to start any training sessions.

Pakistan are to play three Tests and three Twenty20 Internationals in England during July-August but due to the Covid-19 situation, none of their players have had any proper training since a nation-wide lockdown was clamped in March.

Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s head coach and chief selector, is desperate for the players to get some decent training sessions before leaving for England.

“Misbah is of the view that his players really need to train to regain match fitness after quite a long layoff which is why he is pushing for a pre-tour training camp,” a source said.

However, PCB has so far been unable to line up the camp as it is facing several obstacles. The first hurdle is that it is yet to obtain clearance from the government. There is still a blanket ban on any organised sports activities in the country because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Board has to obtain an NOC from the relevant authorities before starting the training camp.

According to sources it has prepared a plan which is to be formally presented to the government in a bid to obtain its clearance. However, a source said that the initial response from the government is not very encouraging.

“The Board has sort of sounded out the authorities about resuming activities but hasn’t received a positive response from them.” The bigger problem is that even if its receives a green signal from the authorities, the PCB is yet to set up a bio-secure facility that is big enough to hold a training camp for an extended squad of 25-30 players.

“It is evident that the NCA isn’t a big enough facility to hold training camp for an extended squad of players with bio-secure conditions in place,” a source said. That’s why Pakistan cricket’s think-tank is now working on several options.

One of the options is to divide the camp and train two batches of players at different venues. “The idea is to have two camps – in Lahore and Karachi,” a source said.

However, there is another problem. The Board is unsure whether it has enough coaches to carry out training sessions in two cities simultaneously. “It’s an unprecedented situation and the Board has never faced such an issue in the past,” the source said.

Due to all these hurdles, there is a possibility that the PCB could give up the idea of holding a pre-tour camp. “There is this option to scrap this idea and send the squad to England a bit early so that it can prepare for the series there,” the source said.

The England Cricket Board (ECB) has informed PCB that bio-secure conditions for the Pakistan team would be ready by July 5. “PCB could opt to send the squad around July 5 so that the players have enough time to train before the first Test,” the source said.