The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a special 'Connection Camp' for nine senior players and key coaching staff to revive Pakistan cricket on Sunday. Pakistan also confirmed Babar Azam as their white-ball team captain amid the rumours of the board looking to replace the star batter after a string of poor performances by the team.
Pakistan was knocked out from the first round at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and then suffered an embarrassing Test series defeat at home against Bangladesh earlier this month which triggered fans calling for Pakistan cricket's overhaul.
The rumours of removing Babar Azam from the white-ball captaincy also emerged on social media but the PCB cooled it down to include the batter in their connection camp which will be held in Lahore on Monday (September 23).
The PCB statement revealed that the camp will establish a clearer vision among star cricketers and restore Pakistan's stature in the cricket world. Nine key players, including captains Babar Aazam and Shan Masood, will be joined by national team head coaches Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten.
“The Connection Camp is a critical step toward unifying our approach to restore Pakistan cricket to its former glory," PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said. "Our aim is to identify key issues, foster open dialogue and collectively agree on a strategic path forward. By addressing these challenges directly, we will establish clear, actionable goals that meet the expectations of our passionate cricket fans.
“The PCB remains optimistic that this session, which builds on prior discussions with former cricketers, will lead to a results-driven strategy that improves both player management and team performance. This is the first step in an ongoing journey to reshape Pakistan cricket. The PCB will continue these collaborative efforts to ensure long-term success, keeping fans at the heart of our mission.”
Pakistan men's cricket team has recently slipped to 8th in the ICC rankings and 7th in the T20I rankings despite regular changes to the team in the last couple of years. Pakistan are next to play England in the three-match Test series at home and will also host the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
