English-speaking classes for Pakistan players in NCA camp

The Pakistan all-rounder and the T20I captain, Salman Ali Agha, has praised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for organizing the pre-season camp. But he reckoned that the camp won’t be limited only to on-field training, as they would also need to attend English language classes and mental conditioning sessions to help them for international cricket.

Pakistan recently won the three-match ODI series against Australia when they earned the two victories in Lahore and Rawalpindi. That was on the back of their two-match Test series defeat by a 2-0 margin against Bangladesh.

"It's not what you think" — Salman Agha explains the NCA camp curriculum

Pakistan have faced early exits from the major ICC competitions, as their last best performance in an ICC event came in 2022 during the Men’s T20 World Cup and ended as the runners-up by losing the final against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Salman Agha revealed that they would have a few English-speaking classes in the pre-season NCA camp, which is important for mental building before a series.

“The camp has not only been about training on the ground. We have attended lectures off the field as well. We have had English language classes and sessions on mental strength. Experts have guided us on how to cope with pressure and become mentally stronger. Every aspect that a professional cricketer needs has been covered during this camp,” Agha expressed.

Agha has not been named the leader for the Asian Games 2026. Sahibzada Farhan will lead the team after the superb show with the bat in the recent T20 World Cup 2026.

Agha praised that the NCA camp would give the players the opportunity to fine-tune their skills during the off-season amid a hectic schedule. He feels that the hard work put in during the pre-season camp will pay dividends in the longest format.

Salman Agha's game plan: How Pakistan are preparing for West Indies and England

Pakistan will feature in the two-match Test series against West Indies in the Caribbean. They will play the practice match in Tarouba on July 18 before featuring in the two games on July 25 and August 02. The first game will take place at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba while the second encounter will be in Port of Spain in Trinidad.

Just after a break of 10 days, Pakistan will turn to England for the three-match Test series against England. That will begin on August 19 at Headingley before the action moves to Lord’s and Edgbaston.

It will be vital five Test matches for the Pakistan side, who lost their last red-ball series against Bangladesh by a 2-0 margin.