LAHORE: Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq and record-breaking batsman Younis Khan proved as the fittest players as they have topped the fitness test conducted here at the National Cricket Academy.

The test was arranged by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) at the national fitness camp set up in the lead up to the England tour starting in early July The aim of conducting the test is to assess player’s physical strength and bring it at par with international standards.

According to a PCB official, 41-year-old Misbah and 38-year-old Younis despite being on the higher side of age came out as the fittest players at the camp.

“National team fitness trainer Grant Luden had set up a points system [17 set as the target] which both of them have achieved,” said the official.

“Younis attained 18 points while Misbah’s report is yet to come but he has cleared the test with an edge,” he added.

T20 skipper Sarfraz Ahmed along with Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood, Saeed Ajmal and Zulfiqar Babar could not meet the criteria and failed to attain the points in the fitness test, he said.

The official further said that the players passing the fitness test would be rewarded with cash prize whereas those failing would be given another chance.

“The players who failed [in the first attempt] do not clear the test within a specified time period will be fined,” the official stated.

The PCB official meanwhile rejected the reports related to the leniency in the test with some players including ODI captain Azhar Ali and pacer Wahab Riaz.

A 15-day national camp for preparation of the England series starts in Abbottabad on May 15.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2016