Cricket camp at NSK becomes free-for-all

Karachi, Aug 4: The Pakistan cricket camp currently in progress here at the National Stadium Karachi (NSK) has become free-forall. The camp has been organized in connection with this month's Singapore triangular series to be played between Aug 20 and 28.

The national selectors initially named 31 probables before increasing them to 42. But now the situation is that around 100 players are participating in the camp.

Interestingly, most of the unknown `late comers' carry the recommendation letters issued by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) manager cricket Zakir Khan who sits at the headquarters in Lahore.

These players show the letters to the two officially assigned coaches Sarfaraz Nawaz and Aftab Baloch who helplessly allow them to take part in the proceedings.

The unending queue of nephews, brothers, sons and friends of some players and cricket officials has completely ruined the sanctity of a training camp.

The team's nutritionist, who has been appointed to keep a check on the players' diet so that they can control their weight, turns his arm over everyday in the evening session.

Ironically, all this is happening under the nose of the cricket board officials as selectors and a member of the advisory panel regularly visit the ground. But they all quietly watch these `unauthorised trainers' in action. Nor any one objects to the continuing arrival of new players in the camp.

While there are four physiotherapists and three coaches, the camp attendees are still waiting for magician spinner Abdul Qadir. According to information, Qadir was assigned by a top PCB official to help the spinners in the camp. But his appointment letter is still lying on one of the tables in PCB headquarters.

A silent war between the two coaches continues despite the intervention of a top PCB official. On Friday, the centre of the dispute was holding practice matches between the probables.

One coach was insisting that the PCB has instructed to hold any such games only when the Pakistan captain and coach join the camp. The other coach was of the view that the games can't be delayed because the appearance of the two Pakistan team members was still uncertain.

According to sources, the ground staff had already started preparing the pitch for the match.