Among the 12 selected players, only Sarfaraz Ahmed and 3 other players passed the fitness tests conducted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Ahead of the England tour of Pakistan, it was earlier reported that around 8 of the 12 players who recently underwent fitness tests at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore were deemed unfit. Since then, the names of the four players who cleared their fitness tests have been revealed.
Wicketkeeper and former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, along with senior spinner Noman Ali, leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood, and current vice-captain of the Pakistan red ball side; Saud Shakeel are reportedly the four players deemed to have passed their fitness tests.
According to reports, players were required to complete a two-kilometer run under a time limit of eight minutes, with all of the aforementioned players successfully achieving that objective within the allotted time.
Fitness standards have been long since a thorn in the side of Pakistan cricket, with the national team falling behind in that regard more than anything in the modern era.
PCB has reiterated its commitment to maintaining high fitness standards, emphasizing that there will be no leniency in this regard. “Players with central and domestic contracts have been explicitly informed that fitness is non-negotiable, and they must meet the standards set by the team’s fitness experts,” a PCB official stated.
It is rumored that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will address the issue of those who failed their fitness tests in the coming days. This is noteworthy since the PCB has postponed the announcement of the newest round of central contracts, with the fitness concerns of the national team as a reason for the delay.