LAHORE: Pakistan’s red-ball training camp got underway at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) on Monday and will continue until July 10 in preparation for the national team’s tour of the West Indies, where a two-Test series will begin on July 25.
On the opening day, NCA Director and former Test fast bowler Aaqib Javed, along with Pakistan Test head coach and former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, addressed the players and outlined the objectives and importance of the training programme.
However, the camp has already sparked debate due to the omission of several senior players. Fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali, along with left-arm spinner Noman Ali, have not been included in the red-ball setup despite featuring in Pakistan’s most recent Test series against Bangladesh, which the side lost 2-0.
Hasan Ali was among Pakistan’s leading bowlers in that series, claiming eight wickets in two Tests, while Shaheen Shah Afridi played one match and picked up five wickets. Noman Ali, alongside Sajid Khan, has been a regular feature in Pakistan’s Test bowling attack in recent years, contributing significantly to several victories.
Shaheen, however, has been retained in the white-ball training camp and continues to serve as Pakistan’s ODI captain. Hasan and Noman have been left out of both red-ball and white-ball camps. The white-ball camp is scheduled to run from June 15 to September 18, with 27 players invited for the training programme.
Shaheen’s exclusion from the red-ball setup has drawn particular attention in cricketing circles, with some observers suggesting the left-arm pacer may no longer be in Pakistan’s immediate Test plans. Meanwhile, all-rounder Faheem Ashraf has also been omitted from both training camps.
Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2026
