Babar, Masood among senior players to attend PCB workshop on outlining future vision of Pakistan cricket

National team head coaches Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten, assistant coach Azhar Mahmood, and High-Performance specialist David Reid will also join the meeting.

FILE - Pakistan’s Babar Azam reacts as walks off the field after his dismissal during the fourth day of second test cricket match between Pakistan and Bangladesh, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024. | Photo Credit: AP

Captains Babar Azam and Shan Masood, along with other senior players, will attend a day-long workshop on Monday, convened by the PCB to outline the future vision for Pakistan cricket.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has named the day-long workshop the “Strategic Connection Camp,” to be held at a local hotel.

Along with captains Babar Azam and Shan Masood, senior players Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shadab Khan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi will be in attendance.

National team head coaches Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten, assistant coach Azhar Mahmood, and High-Performance specialist David Reid will also join the meeting.

“We aim to identify key issues, foster open dialogue and collectively agree on a strategic path forward to successfully reshape Pakistan cricket.” PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi said in a statement.

“The Connection Camp is a critical step toward unifying our approach to restore Pakistan cricket to its former glory. Our aim is to identify key issues, foster open dialogue and collectively agree on a strategic path forward.

“The PCB remains optimistic that this session, which builds on prior discussions with former cricketers, will lead to a results-driven strategy that improves both player management and team performance.” Pakistan Test captain Masood said the session will focus on setting performance benchmarks, player development programs, and formulating strategies to enhance grassroots cricket.

Red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie and white-ball coach Gary Kirsten have also expressed optimism that the meeting will be beneficial.

“We’re all striving toward the same goal - raising the standard of Pakistan cricket and creating a culture of winning,” Gillespie said.

Kirsten said the focus is refining the approach to white-ball cricket, building a team that can perform consistently at the highest level and bringing joy to the fans who support them.

The PCB leadership group will also attend the meeting besides the national selectors.

This is not the first time the PCB has hosted such a meeting/workshop. In the past, previous Chairmen have followed the same path to identify key issues in Pakistan cricket and to reach a consensus on a strategic path forward.

Unfortunately, the success rate and outcome of such meetings have not been high.