Lahore, June 24, 2026: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering sending a group of cricketers to the United States under a specialized development programme aimed at exposing players to new training methods, enhancing power-hitting skills, and supporting long-term player development.
Although the initiative remains in the planning stages and the final list of participants has yet to be confirmed, Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson revealed that the proposal is currently under active consideration.
“We’re sending some players to the US. There’s some power-hitting expertise over there, and we’re exploring some options,” Hesson said during a recent interview with a local sports platform.
According to the coach, the programme is intended to benefit players recovering from long-term injuries as well as those seeking exposure to modern batting techniques and alternative training environments.
“We’ve got some players who’ve had some longer-term injuries, and players we want to expose to different methods of power hitting and just a different learning environment, spending four months in one place to get some new fresh ideas,” he explained.
The proposed initiative forms part of the PCB’s broader strategy to modernize player development systems and strengthen fitness standards across Pakistan cricket.
Earlier this year, the board appointed UK-based sports medicine expert Dr Javed Mughal as Director of Sports and Exercise Medicine. Since assuming the role, Dr. Mughal has emphasized the importance of fitness as a fundamental component of elite sport and has introduced comprehensive testing and assessment procedures for players.
Hesson said Dr. Mughal’s arrival has already begun influencing training and evaluation methods at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), adding that the proposed US programme would encompass much more than physical conditioning.
“There’s a bit of a collaboration. It’s certainly not just strength and conditioning,” Hesson noted. “We’ve got Javed Mughal who’s come in here and changing the way players are training and assessing them in a different way. So he needs time to plan it out as well.”
The former New Zealand coach welcomed the PCB’s openness to innovative approaches and international learning opportunities, saying such exposure could help players broaden their skill sets and gain valuable experience outside traditional training environments.
“I think it’s good that we’re looking at exploring those options of sending players to the US, rather than saying, ‘No, you have to stay here,’” Hesson remarked.
The development programme remains under discussion, with further details regarding participating players, training partners, and logistical arrangements expected once the PCB finalizes its plans.
