‘Pakistan doesn’t lack coaches’: Aqib Javed announces game education program

LAHORE: Director of High Performance at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Aqib Javed, laid out his strategic vision for the future of Pakistan cricket during the 63rd episode of the PCB Podcast, hosted by former Test pacer Wahab Riaz.

Aqib spoke extensively about the ongoing and upcoming initiatives within the PCB’s academy structures. His discussion spanned men’s and women’s cricket, youth development, and coach education, with a focus on raising standards and bridging performance gaps at all levels.

While discussing the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore, he stressed the importance of clearly defining its purpose. He said the NCA should play a pivotal role in identifying and addressing deficiencies in the national team across all formats.

“The role of the NCA needs to be clearly defined. Its primary function should be to fill the gaps evident in the Pakistan team across all three formats. We have compiled a list of players, identifying a need to have three backup players for every one player,” Aqib said.

Speaking about the allocation of academies for various age groups and women cricketers, the former pacer outlined the PCB’s latest development plan.

“The Karachi High Performance Centre will now cater to women cricketers, providing facilities to support their diet, training, and skill development. The Multan HPC will be dedicated to U19 players, with a group of 30 selected for specialised training. The Faisalabad centre will be used for U17 players, while Sialkot’s HPC will focus on grooming 30 U15 players," he stated.

Addressing the upgrades planned for the High Performance Centres, the 52-year-old elaborated on key enhancements aimed at modernising cricket training infrastructure.

“A biomechanics laboratory will be set up at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore. This will not only help assess bowling actions but also support injury prevention from the U15 level to first-class cricket. We have also acquired new coaching tools to help batters, bowlers, and fielders enhance their skills," he said.

“Additionally, we are acquiring baseball technology to improve the art of spin bowling and launching an information portal at the NCA to highlight its activities, which will be reintegrated with regional cricket,” he added.

Talking about the short- and long-term plans he has set for himself as Director of High Performance, Javed outlined a clear roadmap for player development.

“Over the next six months, I have set a target to bring about visible improvement. We are coordinating with head coach Mike Hesson to identify areas where players need focused development. The long-term plan focuses on nurturing U15, U17, and U19 players,” he said.

Speaking about the Coach Education Course, he emphasised the existing talent in the coaching circuit and new initiatives to enhance it.

“We already have qualified coaches from Level 1 to Level 4. It is a misconception that Pakistan lacks coaches. We are going to introduce ‘game education’, which will cover coach, umpire, trainer, and physio education. This will expand the pool of qualified professionals and boost their confidence," he remarked.

“After completing the Level 3 coaching course, coaches will need to specialise in a specific area—batting, bowling, or fielding. This will enhance their expertise, after which they can work with franchise teams,” he added.

When asked about his goals as an administrator in his current role, he expressed his desire for tangible improvements.

“I have set a target for the next six months where noticeable progress can be seen. After a year, I want people to say, ‘What great facilities this academy has,’” he concluded.