Pakistani Players to Take a Special Power-Hitting Course in the US

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering sending a group of cricketers to the United States under a specialized development program aimed at improving power-hitting, fitness, and overall skill development in a different training environment.

Pakistan white-ball coach Mike Hesson has confirmed that the plan is under discussion, though final arrangements have not yet been completed and the board is still deciding which players will be included.

According to Hesson, the idea is to give selected players exposure to new methods, particularly in power-hitting, while also allowing some injured or recovering players to spend an extended period working in a fresh setting. The proposed program could see players spend around four months in one place to develop new techniques and approaches.

The move also reflects a broader shift within Pakistan cricket, where the board has recently placed stronger emphasis on fitness, conditioning, and medical standards. Earlier this year, the PCB brought in Dr. Javed Mughal as Director of Sports and Exercise Medicine.

Hesson said the proposed US program is not just about strength and conditioning, but part of a wider collaboration linked to changes already underway in player training and assessment.

Among the players being considered is Ali Raza, one of Pakistan’s most highly rated young fast bowlers in white-ball cricket. The 18-year-old impressed at the Under-19 Asia Cup, where he played a key role in Pakistan’s title-winning campaign and also grabbed attention earlier this year with a hat-trick in the PSL for Peshawar Zalmi.

Pakistan has yet to hand Ali an international debut, but the board appears keen to carefully manage his workload and build his fitness before exposing him to the demands of top-level cricket. Hesson made it clear that the focus is on making the young pacer strong enough to handle repeated spells and maintain his pace under pressure.