PCB Warns Players Over Fitness Standards

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued a stern warning to several centrally contracted players, including Babar Azam and Naseem Shah, to improve their fitness or risk losing their contracts. After poor performances, including early exits from recent World Cups and a home Test series loss to Bangladesh, the PCB is prioritizing fitness standards, with upcoming tests aimed at assessing stamina, endurance, and muscle strength. The two foreign head coaches, Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten, emphasized that there would be no leniency regarding fitness levels. Players who failed to meet benchmarks in earlier tests were given two months to improve, and the PCB plans to reduce the number of players receiving central contracts this year. Criticism has mounted over the team's fitness in comparison to other international sides, prompting these new measures. The PCB has delayed the announcement of eligible players for the 2024/2025 contracts, reflecting ongoing changes within the organization.