As anticipation reaches a fever pitch in the cricketing world, the Pakistan national cricket squad hit the training grounds at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad on Thursday ahead of their crucial warm-up clash against New Zealand.
With just one day left before their highly anticipated warm-up match against New Zealand, the squad, including star players like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Hasan Ali, participated in an intensive training session.
The training session saw the likes of Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Fakhar Zaman, Muhammad Wasim Jr., Muhammad Haris, and Zaman Khan actively participating in various drills aimed at honing their skills and building team cohesion.
The day's schedule commenced with an energetic warm-up session, ensuring that the players were in the best physical condition.
This was followed by a series of rigorous fielding exercises inside the iconic stadium, emphasizing quick reflexes and sharp fielding techniques.
The players then moved to the practice nets for a dedicated net session. This segment of the training allowed the batsmen to familiarize themselves with the pitch conditions and the bowlers to fine-tune their line and length ahead of the crucial clash.
Pakistani cricket stars are turning up the heat at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi Stadium! 🔥#PakistanCricket #TrainingDays #ICCWorldCup #ICCWorldCup2023 @babarazam258 @iShaheenAfridi pic.twitter.com/08FuUDDDVg
— Muhammad Talal (@muhammadtalalj) September 28, 2023
Pakistan is set to play two warm-up matches, against New Zealand on September 29 – which will be played behind closed doors – and Australia on October 3, both in Hyderabad.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Pakistan national cricket team arrived in Hyderabad on Wednesday, ahead of their participation in the seven-week-long World Cup, marking their first visit to India since 2016.
Excited crowds, held back by security officers, enthusiastically cheered the team captain, Babar Azam, as they landed at the airport in the southern Indian city.
Both nations have longstanding political tensions and typically only play cricket against each other in international tournaments, often held in neutral venues.
The World Cup will consist of 48 matches played over 46 days at 10 different locations, culminating in the final on November 19.
Pakistan's World Cup campaign will kick off against the Netherlands, followed by a highly anticipated clash against arch-rivals India in Ahmedabad Stadium on October 14.
