Pakistan Cricket Board Introduces Mandatory Padel Training for National Cricketers

Pakistan’s national cricketers are getting a new addition to their training routine, with the Pakistan Cricket Board introducing mandatory padel sessions during extended camps at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore

TheHeadline News Desk

Pakistan’s national cricketers are set to add a new sport to their training routines, with the Pakistan Cricket Board making padel a mandatory activity during extended training camps at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.

The move is part of an effort to improve players’ overall athletic abilities, particularly their agility, reflexes, movement and fielding skills.

According to reports from international sports media, players training at the National Cricket Academy will take part in dedicated padel sessions during longer camps. The sessions are expected to last around 40 minutes and take place on alternate days.

Padel is a racket sport that combines elements of tennis and squash. It is generally played on a smaller enclosed court and involves quick movements, rapid reactions and frequent changes of direction.

Those characteristics make the sport potentially useful for cricket players, particularly in areas such as footwork, hand-eye coordination and reaction speed.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has reportedly introduced the activity as part of a broader approach to player development and fitness.

For cricketers, quick reactions can be particularly important when fielding close to the wicket or attempting to catch fast-moving balls. Agility and movement are also essential for players looking to improve their performance across different formats of the game.

The introduction of padel also reflects a wider trend in professional sport, where athletes increasingly use activities outside their primary discipline to develop specific physical and mental skills.

Pakistan’s National Cricket Academy has been used for high-performance training and development, and the introduction of a dedicated padel facility provides players with another option during lengthy training programmes.

The initiative comes as Pakistan prepares for a busy period of international cricket, with the national team continuing its preparations and development programmes.

The idea is also likely to attract interest from cricket fans who may be unfamiliar with padel, a sport that has grown rapidly in popularity internationally in recent years.

While the activity is not intended to replace traditional cricket training, it is being incorporated as an additional fitness and movement exercise.

The PCB’s decision highlights the increasing focus on athletic preparation in modern cricket, where fitness, speed and fielding ability have become increasingly important alongside traditional batting and bowling skills.

For Pakistan’s players, the new training routine could provide a fresh way to stay physically active while developing skills that can translate directly onto the cricket field.

The initiative also gives the National Cricket Academy a more diverse training environment as Pakistan looks to develop players capable of competing at the highest level of international cricket.