LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board’s Level-2 coaching course concluded the other day at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore after an intensive six-day programme that brought together 29 coaches, including several former internationals.
The course, run by the NCA Coach Education and Development Department, combined advanced technical instruction with modern sports science and coach-management training designed to raise coaching standards across the country.
Among the attendees were three Test cricketers — Asif Afridi, Fakhar Zaman and Usman Khan Shinwari — alongside Pakistan international Hussain Talat, reflecting the course’s appeal to both former players and emerging coaches.
Shahid Aslam, a senior member of the coaching staff, said the Level-2 course was only the start of a longer professional development pathway. “After the completion of the Level-2 course, participants have been assigned a six-month post-course development programme,” he explained.
A major feature of the programme was the integration of technology into coaching practice. The NCA introduced participants to the Athlete Management System (AMS) to ensure coaches can effectively monitor player workloads, manage video libraries and apply performance analytics in daily training. Aslam stressed that familiarity with AMS and data-driven coaching would be essential for modern coaches seeking to prepare players for international competition.
Practical demonstrations and skill assessments formed a significant portion of the course, allowing instructors to evaluate participants’ ability to plan sessions, deliver technical corrections and manage groups. The inclusion of high-profile former players provided added value, with Sarfaraz’s wicket-keeping clinic and Dr Imran Abbas’s technical insights receiving particular praise from attendees.
Players name in alphabetical order: Abdul Wakeel Khan, Ahmer Aziz, Asif Khan Afridi, Fakhar Zaman, Hussain Talat, Imran Ali, Ishfaq Ahmad, Junaid Ilyas, Mirza Asad Baig, Moazzam Malik, Mohammad Abu Bakar Khan, Mohammad Farhan Usman, Mohammad Irfan Ul Haq, Mohammad Raza Ul Hassan, Mohammad Shahbaz Raza, Mohammad Umar Fayyaz, Muhammad Nadeem, Raees Abbas, Rehan Afridi, Riaz Ud Din, Rizwan Ullah, Saqib Ali, Shahzaib Ahmed Khan, Shakir Mehmood, Shiraz Khalid, Sudais Ulfat, Ulfat Hussain Shah, Usman Khan Shinwari and Waseem Khan.
