Pak cricketers focusing on fitness, batting skills ahead of Champions Trophy

Karachi: Pakistan`s cricketers are reportedly focussing on improving their fitness and batting skills at a training camp in Abbottabad in the run-up to the ICC Champions Trophy tournament that is to be played in England in June.

Abbottabad being at an altitude of 1260 metres has an appropriate weather, resembling England`s weather conditions, doubly beneficial for the players to participate in practice matches and prepare for the Champions Trophy in England. Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said that the players got sufficient time during the camp to prepare themselves for the playing conditions in England, adding that the cooler weather enabled the team to play without getting distracted and the pitches too allowed the batsmen to make some movements. However, Misbah maintains that the players must concentrate on their fitness levels, as good fielding requires high fitness levels and the players yet need to improve on their fitness to build themselves for international cricket., T-20 and one-day matches. The report said that test run-scorer Javed Miandad helped the batsmen focus on their batting skills while the experienced former Pakistan cricketer Wasim Akram coached the bowlers on swinging and seam movement that are more a part of the English cricket. Pakistan`s coach Dav Whatmore believes the team has a lot of potential for winning the Champions Trophy and they only need to improve on certain areas to be a series winner, for which the `skill camp` has given an ample opportunity. ANI