The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will conduct fitness tests for their centrally contracted players. On Friday, The PCB issued a warning that centrally contracted players will have to meet the fitness standards set by the team management. In case of not doing so, 15 percent amount will be deducted from their monthly salary. Keeping in mind the poor performance of team, the new head coach Misbah-ul-Haq has termed top-level fitness essential for players of the national team. The PCB said that if the players fail to achieve the required minimum fitness, then 15 percent amount will be deducted from their monthly salary while the grade of that player will be reduced in case of doing so repeatedly. The PCB said, "If the minimum fitness condition is not met, the player will have to pay a penalty of 15 percent of his monthly fee."
Pakistan's centrally contracted players Babar Azam, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shaheen Afridi will undergo fitness tests on January 6 and 7. The PCB said in an official statement that the fitness test will be conducted in four phases on January 6 and 7 at the National Cricket Academy, in which Pakistan's strength and conditioning Coach Yasir Malik will test the players. According to a release, "All centrally contracted players will have to be present in the two-day Test."
The fitness test will focus on five areas including Fat, Strength, Endurance, Speed Endurance and Cross Fit. Everyone will be given equal attention. "Players who fail in this Test will be at risk of being out of central contract," the statement said. It further said, "Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Aamir and Shadab Khan who are playing in Bangladesh Premier League(BPL) will have their Test on 20 and 21 January".
