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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
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Comments (38) Closed
May 12, 2016 07:30am
Misbah and Younus always demonstrate their serious attitude and commitment with the game - not others unfortunately!
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May 12, 2016 07:50am
No wonder the team is at bottom of the ladder!
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May 12, 2016 09:13am
Good
Failimg players must be kept on probation for some time before termination.
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May 12, 2016 10:56am
Sarfaraz has to lose atleast 20lbs if not more.
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May 12, 2016 11:14am
Wow age is just a number for these legends! shameful for youngsters who failed the test
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May 12, 2016 01:10pm
Great players and great fitness. We should all learn from them.
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May 12, 2016 02:56pm
salute to both the legends ...I hope these two are able to guide and develop a few good batsman before they retire ...
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May 12, 2016 03:34pm
Misbah and Younis Khan are the wise guys of Pakistan Cricket. Youngsters should look up to them as guiding light and PCB should thank God to have such pearls in its coffers despite its ineptitude. Unfit youngsters represent PCB.
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May 12, 2016 03:42pm
Well all the best. If those two happen to be your "best" in terms of fitness I shudder to think how fit the rest are!
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May 12, 2016 04:01pm
Then why in the world Misbah is not in the ODI team. He should be the captain.
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May 12, 2016 04:01pm
@Vikas. These two are fot as per international standards of getting 20
Points
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May 12, 2016 04:29pm
The fit players will be given cash prizes? They have to be motivated and compensated for something they should be responsible for with money? Any pro player I know is self motivated and takes his career seriously. They watch what they eat, train everyday, sleep well do not drink alcohol, all to prolong their lucrative and million dollar career. Makes total sense, invest in yourself and make millions. Why these lazy players need to be motivated and pushed to be fit? Just drop them from the team, simple as that. They don't take their careers seriously then why have to baby them?
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May 12, 2016 04:52pm
This is funny. The veterans are fitter than the young ones.
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May 12, 2016 05:01pm
@The illuminated one
International players also drink, dance and party. They have a routine that they follow with discipline and sincerity . Our priorities are all wrong and messed up. Entertainment takes precedence over professional career.
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May 12, 2016 05:16pm
Cricket requires fitness.. fitness should be a continues process.. and there should be individual goals set for reviews.
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May 12, 2016 05:29pm
@SHAHZ You are correct. I live in NA and I can assure you that none of the elite players drink or party, only in the off season. Pro sports is such big business with millions that players are to a large extent looking for an edge, including performance enhancing drugs. I ask one question, name me one player from AUS, ENG or NZ that looks as fit as Sahajeel, Nasir Jamshed or Sarfraz? One only needs to see their bellies to tell they are unfit. I too am an athlete, albeit not a professional one, and those characters would be laughed at. Its no surprise to me that Misbah and Younis are the fittest. Wahab Riaz is another that looks fit. You can just tell by looking at them. Again pros need to eat, live, breath, sleep like pros. I guess what Im saying is PK standards need to rise. Mentally and physically.
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May 12, 2016 06:32pm
@The illuminated one . In Bangladesh , Pakistani team had biryani during a T-20 match! . Compared to other teams, majority of our players do not take sports professionally , riding on just talent ( i dont see that either!) . We need proper fitness and diet gurus to turn around this mess. Also , they should have enough power to sack players on fitness grounds. I remember , in 1984 / 85 Imran Khan was unfit due to a knee injury , still wanted to travel to Australia with the team. Once he failed his fitness test, selection commitee dropped him. We need players who are honest with themselves and their profession
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May 12, 2016 06:37pm
Please dont select both, give the young players a chance
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May 12, 2016 07:14pm
Younis Khan might be physically fit but he lacks complete mental fitness and shouldn't be allowed a central role in national cricket!
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May 12, 2016 07:21pm
Fitness is everything in sport. A bad player who is fit can perform, but a good player who is unfit cannot perform.
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May 12, 2016 07:22pm
Its a question of pride when you are playing for Pakistan, the old guard is what made Pakistan great, the newbies ( if you can call them that given they have been around for years now ) are simply not up to the mark not only in fitness but skills and attitude also, Umar Akmal is a prime example of wasted skills, same for Sohaib Maqsood, Ahmed Shahzad fairs slightly better but not by much, I was surprised to see Sarfaraz in there but I guess the over all environment in the team rubbed off on him too. Very disappointing to see Sohaib and the likes of Imran Khan and Sohail Khan fall off the radar. Sad state of affairs and what a difficult job it will be for Micky Arthur to get this rag tag bunch in shape again!
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May 12, 2016 09:33pm
Its actually the lack of education of how professional players should eat that leads to poor fitness. Sorry to say that our current Pakistani diet heavy in grains and carbs isn't going to keep you fit.
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May 12, 2016 10:23pm
Take away for society is that age should not be a excuse to stop moving.
The results shows our culture
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May 12, 2016 10:24pm
The players who failed----should go to Quetta or Abbotabad and stay there for three months and train hard.
Living at a higher elevation would increase their red blood cells.
So,----all the pakistan team that is headed for matches must reside and train at higher elevation.
Many olympic and marathon athletes train at higher altitude.
I myseld lived in Utah at 5000 feet elevation and used to jog a lot doing about 3 miles each run. My average was around 6 to 6:30 minutes a mile.
When I moved to california----in the first week I was surprised to see me do 3 miles in 15 minutes---that is 5 minutes a mile and was not tired at all. I checked the distance twice on the odometer guage of my car. It was the same car I had in Utah.
The life of the red blood cells is around 100 to 120 days---. Enough for a long tour.
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May 12, 2016 10:25pm
What else is new !!!!
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May 12, 2016 11:04pm
Whats umar akmal doing here, i thought he alongwith ahmed shezad was banished for the series. So why take their fitness test. I m sure they will be recalled in someone's place once the team has reached England. Crappy system crappy people
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May 13, 2016 12:12am
@Longhorn spot on!
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May 13, 2016 12:12am
Cash for passing the fitness test? What is wrong with PCB? Passing the fitness test is mandatory for any professional athlete. That is why they get paid big bucks to play the sport.
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May 13, 2016 12:36am
It says something about the discipline and commitment of younger players.
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May 13, 2016 01:52am
Younis is all chiseled. His recent performances in the desert heat of Dubia& Sri Lankan humidity are a witness to his supreme condition - staying at the crease for days on end. The two legends doing it on the field like the great IK, and not laying any claims to their positions based on seniority!
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May 13, 2016 02:09am
I wonder what what would be Nasir Jamshed's fitness level if tested !
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May 13, 2016 04:44am
Honestly what does our players eat. The amount of time they spend on pitch and nets one should not be carrying tyre around their waist line
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May 13, 2016 06:50am
@SHAHZ Exactly! I agree. I don't know why the standard has fallen so low. I can't believe these players are being paid so much and given so much attention. Nothing wrong with effort and I think that is why fans of Bangla, UAE and AFG love their teams because despite lack of talent, resources and talent they fight every game and that is all fans ask for really but its hard seeing PK players partying, dancing and selfying while they put poor performance after poor performance. I wonder what greats like Viv or IK would say if they saw that in their locker room? Champions don't come from talent only, it comes from relentless handwork. Like him or not IK even at his advanced age puts 100% in what he believes. He has more energy and determination then players who are a third his age.
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May 13, 2016 09:24am
The actual fitness test given in other cricket playing countries if it is given in Pakistan all the players are going to fail. Although same fitness methods are use in Pakistan , the players are supposed to do few different exercises drill and they all have to get minimum of 20 points but never ever in last 20 years have achieved it they all get 10,12 maximum been 16 reported couple of times. Sure these two players pass the fitness test PCB should tell the actual score
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May 13, 2016 10:09am
unable to understand the fitness tests, can misbah and yunus dive into the air for a catch? nooooo but unfit ahmed shahzad and umer akmal can
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May 14, 2016 08:48am
How come they top the fitness test when in fact the test never took place
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May 14, 2016 02:23pm
@The illuminated one Even today IK's fitness regime is far superior to most of our players. Discipline and hardwork with or without talent always pays dividends . Our players need another ice age to improve!
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May 14, 2016 11:37pm
I always wonder what would have become of Younis and Youhana had they been born in India. I m sure they would be as big stars as Sachin if not more. And of course they wouldn't be humiliated, esp like Youhana was.
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