Sarfaraz and Hesson to lead Pakistan camps ahead of 2026 assignments

Pakistan red and white-ball coaches Sarfaraz Ahmed and Mike Hesson will run camps in Lahore starting June 7, 2026.

Red-ball camp schedule The red-ball camp will operate until July 10, after which a pre-tour camp for the two Tests against West Indies will prepare the team before departure on July 15. Pakistan’s schedule includes back-to-back Test series against West Indies in July, England in August-September, and Sri Lanka in September-October at home. ## White-ball camp timeline The white-ball camp will continue until September 18, aligning with upcoming assignments including the T20 Asian Games in Japan from September to October and an ODI tri-series at home featuring Sri Lanka and England in October-November, following two home Tests against Sri Lanka. ## Coaches and player selection Red-ball head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and white-ball head coach Mike Hesson will oversee camps starting with 49 players — 22 in the red-ball group and 27 in the white-ball group. The NCA may expand both groups, excluding players contracted to English counties for the summer, though late additions could occur if needed for selection. Sarfaraz and Hesson will exchange players between camps to optimize preparation. ## Key players in both camps Shaheen Shah Afridi, Pakistan’s ODI captain, is listed among the 27 white-ball players but will also focus on improving his bowling for longer formats over the next month. Players from the recent three-ODI series against Australia will join the camp from June 15. All participants will engage in fitness drills, skill development, scenario-based matches, and one-on-one coaching sessions. ## Preparation goals and support The camps aim to ready players for upcoming domestic and international competitions. Players will train under National and NCA coaches alongside PCB medical staff, with personalized sessions to clarify international-level skill and fitness expectations. The PCB stated in a media release that the camps are designed to prepare for future events. ## Recent performances and challenges Pakistan’s recent results have been inconsistent, including a 2-1 ODI series win over Australia on heavily turning pitches, a 3-0 ODI series loss in Bangladesh, and an early exit from the T20 World Cup earlier this year in the Super Eights stage. Their Test form is particularly concerning, with no away wins since 2023 and a 2-0 defeat in Bangladesh, leaving them with one win from four matches in the current World Test Championship cycle and eighth place among nine teams. ## Upcoming series and expectations Pakistan face a packed schedule with consecutive Test series against West Indies, England, and Sri Lanka over the coming months. The coaching staff and selectors hope the extended camps will address recent underperformance across formats and strengthen the team for future tours. ## Red-ball camp squad list The 22 red-ball camp players are Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Abrar Ahmed, Ali Usman, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Imam ul Haq, Khurram Shehzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Obaid Shah, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saqib Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shahzad Gul, Shan Masood. ## White-ball camp squad list The 27 white-ball camp players are Abdul Samad, Abdul Subhan, Ahmed Daniyal, Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Arafat Minhas, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Farhan Yousaf, Haider Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Khawaja Muhammad Nafay, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Razaullah, Rohail Nazir, Saad Baig, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Sameer Minhas, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shamyl Hussain, Sufyan Moqim, Usman Khan.