After a tough ODI experience on Australia’s pace-friendly pitches, Pakistan’s T20 squad has introduced a unique training method to prepare for the upcoming T20 series Down Under.
In an inventive move, the batters have turned to practice on marble surfaces at Karachi’s National Stadium to simulate Australia’s ferocious and bouncy conditions which troubled the batters in the opening contest.
Omair bin Yousuf and Usman Khan both spent an extended time practicing their strokes on the augmented surface to strengthen their technique to deal with bouncier deliveries—a staple of Australian wickets. The marble practice is designed to refine footwork and timing which are crucial elements for success on fast tracks.
Usman Khan, reflecting on the team’s lessons from the first ODI, shared the motivation behind this unconventional approach. “After our performance in the first ODI, we recognized the need to adapt to Australia’s bounce,” Khan said. “Training on marble sharpens our timing and helps us improve shots like the draw and cut, which are vital against fast pitches.”
Looking forward to the T20 series, the 29-year-old aims to make his mark at any batting position, drawing on his experience with Mohammad Rizwan from their time together in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) with Multan Sultans.
“My objective is to contribute runs, whether it’s at number four or elsewhere,” he said. “Rizwan is excellent at building synergy with all players, and our PSL partnership has been invaluable.”
The training camp for Pakistan players featuring exclusively in the T20 series in Australia will conclude tomorrow (November 6th) with the players getting a short period of recovery afterward before departing for the three-match series.
Listen to Latest Podcast
📢 For the latest Sports news, videos and analysis join ProPakistani's WhatsApp Group now!
Follow ProPakistani on Google News & scroll through your favourite content faster!
Support independent journalism
If you want to join us in our mission to share independent, global journalism to the world, we’d love to have you on our side. If you can, please support us on a monthly basis. It takes less than a minute to set up, and you can rest assured that you’re making a big impact every single month in support of open, independent journalism. Thank you.
