The year 2019 came with the message for Pakistan Disabled Cricketers that this year was not only the World ODI Cricket World Cup but also the Disabled Cricketers themselves to participate in the scheduled Physically Disabled World Cricket Series in England in August, it was reported that the Pakistan Disabled Cricket Association had organized a five-team Pentangular Cup tournament in March to prepare for the Physically Disabled World Cricket Series. After a thorough review of the performance, 32 potential disabled cricketers were selected and immediately after the event, fitness tests of these 32 cricketers were conducted by an expert physical trainer. This is the first time in PDCA cricket that physical fitness tests of potential players have been conducted before the training camp, which also shows the seriousness of the PDCA’s Physical Disability World Cricket Series.
A training camp for these 32 potential players was held at the National Stadium Karachi where the disabled cricketers trained with expert physical trainers and coaches and improved their fitness. During the physical training session at the main stadium of the National Stadium, every disabled person considered himself a very lucky and valuable cricketer as he had the opportunity to train on a historic ground where he played in Pakistan’s National Cricket T20 before his overseas tour. Working on fitness and of himself, it was a thought and a sense of pride that did not come from any other cricket side except the Pakistan national cricket team.
The Pakistan Disabled Cricket Association had hired Rashid Qureshi, a well-known trainer for the physical training, along with physio Noman Palikar. The trainers were amazed that the fitness level of the disabled cricketers was by no means lower than that of normal cricketers. Marks also obtained. The reason for this was that the Pakistan Disabled Cricket Association used to issue occasional instructions to the players to improve their physical fitness even during the season and secondly, every cricketer for the Physically Disabled World Cricket Series also played Pentangokar Cup cricket.
During the training camp held in Karachi in July, a series of trials matches continued in which the National disabled cricketers tried to present the best game and many excellent performances were witnessed. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also extended its support to the PDCA. Accommodation, net practice and matches of the national disabled cricket team were arranged at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance Center adjacent to the National Stadium. On this occasion, once again, the main sponsor of the PDCA was Interloop, which could be welcomed in this regard, and it was very easy for the PDCA for a big event. The seven-day conditioning camp, set up in late July 2019. During the camp, many famous Test cricketers also used to come to the camp to encourage Pakistani disabled cricketers and benefit from their experiences.
Most of the cricketers in the squad announced by the PDCA selection committee for the Physically Disabled World Cricket Series were the same ones who had won the tri-nation cricket series in England a year ago, including captain Nahar Alam. Wanted were Qureshi, Mohammad Shahbaz, Saifullah, Wajid Alam, Jahanzeb Towana, Hasnain Alam, Majid Hussain, Abdullah Ejaz, Waqif Shah, Mohammad Haris and Farhan Saeed, besides two emerging disabled cricketers, batsman Hamza Hameed Apart from medium pacer Hamad Shaukat, all-rounder Zubair Saleem was also included in the final 15-member squad. (to be continued)
The Pakistan Disabled Cricket Association (PDCA) is responsible for the promotion and expansion of the game through its associate and affiliate members throughout the country for all the Physically Disabled Cricketers of the country and PDCA is also recognized by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) who is the governing body of cricket in Pakistan.