In a bid to improve player fitness, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made padel a mandatory part of training for players attending long-duration camps at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore.
Under the new rule, players will be required to play 40 minutes of padel on alternate days, with the board believing the racquet sport will improve agility, reflexes and fielding-specific movement.
The initiative has been introduced by former Pakistan pacer Aqib Javed, who currently serves as the PCB's senior selector and director of high performance.
Also Read: Lalit Modi Says Truth Prevails After Tribunal Absolves Him In 15-Year-Old IPL Event FEMA Case
"Many of our players are already playing padel sports regularly but had to travel long distances to the limited courts in their home towns. We have now built a padel court facility at the NCA for the players," Javed said.
Javed said the sport would enhance players' fitness, movement and fielding skills, adding that padel is both accessible and physically demanding.
The 53-year-old said Pakistan cricketers will no longer have to travel to play the sport, as the NCA now has its own dedicated padel court.
Padel, which combines elements of tennis and squash, originated in Mexico and is played on a smaller enclosed court. The sport demands quick reflexes, endurance and stamina.
Javed said he wants the NCA to become a centre where players can not only improve their fitness but also fine-tune their cricketing skills.
He also revealed that the PCB plans to add basketball courts and an indoor games hall featuring snooker and other recreational facilities at the academy.
Javed added that the PCB has already installed an AI bowling machine at the NCA as part of its efforts to modernise the academy and provide players with better training facilities.
(With PTI inputs.)
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.