Pakistan opener Sharjeel Khan's dreams of sporting the national jersey again are hanging on his fitness as the veteran cricketer has been asked by the Pakistan team management to show some improvement in his fitness by April 9, a day before the first T20I in South Africa.
Sharjeel, who was named in the Pakistan T20I squad for their upcoming tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe, has been given a three-week target to enhance his endurance levels, as well as, to improve his body fat counts ahead of the four-match T20I against South Africa on April 10.
He will not play the intra-squad matches at Gaddafi stadium in Lahore during the training camp before Pakistan’s departure for Johannesburg on March 28, as he works on his fitness on the sidelines.
A source close to the developments revealed on Monday: “Sharjeel has been given a personal trainer and batting coach, Younis Khan himself. Fitness freak has been put in charge of his overall training in a bid to improve the opener's fitness before the T20 series in South Africa.”
Meanwhile, Sharjeel resumed his career last year after completing a two-and-a-half-year ban for spot-fixing. He was picked in the Pakistan squad on the back of his performance in the recent Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021, but many felt his fitness is not up to the level required to play international cricket.
However, the cricketer was seen doing laps and working hard on his fitness under the supervision of Younis Khan and the trainer in Lahore. Recently, a former Pakistan cricketer, who is close to the national selection committee, has reportedly voiced his concerns over the matter.
The player revealed, “I am hearing he has been told to shed at least 10 kilograms weight by the deadline if this is true they don't realize losing weight means it will also affect his batting as batting also requires a lot of endurance, stamina, and muscle power.”
He signed off by saying that Pakistan team management should work on improving Sharjeel's fitness slowly so that he doesn't lose strength, stamina, etc instead of setting the deadlines for the fitness.
(With PTI Inputs)
