Out of the 12 players tested by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), only four, including former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, passed the fitness tests ahead of the England tour of Pakistan.
The fitness tests were conducted at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore, where eight players were found unfit. Besides Sarfaraz, spinner Noman Ali, leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood, and vice-captain Saud Shakeel also cleared the tests.
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Players were tasked with completing a two-kilometer run within eight minutes, a challenge met successfully by the four who passed.
Fitness has long been a concern for Pakistan cricket, and the PCB continues to stress its importance. A PCB official confirmed that no leniency will be shown regarding fitness standards, which are now mandatory for both central and domestic contract players.
“Fitness is non-negotiable,” the official reiterated, emphasising that players must meet the standards set by the board.
