LAHORE - Pakistan Test off-spinner Sajid Khan has credited the ongoing NCA Skills Development Camp for significantly enhancing his white-ball bowling skills and reigniting his ambitions of breaking into the national limited-overs setup.
Talking to the media at the LCCA Ground on Wednesday afternoon, Sajid Khan expressed optimism about his progress, attributing it to the expert guidance of former cricketers at the camp. “The spinners are working under the supervision of Abdul Rehman, while Abdul Razzaq is mentoring the batters and all-rounders. It’s been a great learning curve for all of us,” said the off-spinner, who has claimed 59 wickets in 12 Test matches for Pakistan.
The third phase of the High-Performance Skills Development Camp, which began on 30 June, will conclude on Friday, 4 July. A scenario-based intra-squad match was held on Wednesday, featuring top cricketers including Babar Azam, Mohammad Wasim Jr, and Naseem Shah, providing players an opportunity to showcase their skill sets under match-like conditions.
Sajid shared that his primary focus in the camp has been to adapt his bowling for white-ball formats, working specifically on technical refinements such as his line and length, crease utilization, and the development of variations like the arm ball.“I had previously learned a lot from Abdul Rehman during the last home Test series, and I am fortunate to work with him again here. He is helping me fine-tune my white-ball game, which is an area I am very keen to improve,” he added.
Outlining the camp’s rigorous daily schedule, the 31-year-old off-spinner said: “We report at the NCA by 5:00 am, train until 9:00 am, and then again from 12:30 pm to 6:00 pm. The coaches are covering all aspects of our game, with a special emphasis on fielding, a crucial component in modern cricket.”
Sajid, known for his disciplined bowling in the longer format, is determined to make a mark in Pakistan’s ODI and T20I teams. “Test cricket is a great honour, but I aspire to represent Pakistan in white-ball formats as well. This camp has given me the confidence and tools to push for that goal,” he concluded.
