Former Pakistan cricketers to inspire budding stars via video sessions

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday informed that legendary cricketers, including Javed Miandad and Wasim Akram, will hold online sessions with emerging and current red and white-ball players to help them remain focused and make good use of the forced break due to coronavirus pandemic.

The sessions, which was arranged by the Pakistan national men’s team management along with the International Cricket Operations Department, are aimed at ensuring its elite players and future prospects remain connected with the game in these unprecedented times and also take inspiration from some of the best cricketers which the country has produced.

Besides Javed and Wasim, other cricketing greats namely Mohammad Yousuf, Moin Khan, Mushtaq Ahmed, Rashid Latif, Shoaib Akhtar and Younis Khan will also share their experiences and their strategies, preparations and thought processes.

While Javed, Yousuf and Younis will speak to around 21 batsman in three different sessions, Wasim and Shoaib Akhtar will give sessions to around 13 pacers. Mushtaq will give lectures to six spinners, Moin Khan and Rashid Latif will share experiences with five wicketkeepers.

Reflecting on the new initiative, Pakistan head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq called on the players to absorb what they hear and take learnings from these world-class performers.

“I am grateful to these distinguished cricketers who have agreed to share their experiences with our young and emerging stars. These stalwarts have many inspirational and motivational stories to share with the young group and I want the current players to absorb what they hear and take learnings from these world-class performers. The interactive sessions will be split based on areas of specialisation," the PCB press release quoted Misbah as saying.

“We have to plan with the mindset that the England series will go ahead. A number of these greats have been part of series winning sides in England and, therefore, their insight into how to plan and prepare for that series will be invaluable," he added.

Notably, all the sporting activities across the globe have to come to a stanstill due to COVID-19. Recently, Pakistan's three-match ODI series against Netherland which was due to take place in July was postponed indefinitely due to the pandemic.