Former Pakistan opener Salman Butt has identified Shan Masood, Fakhar Zaman, and Mohammad Rizwan as the fittest players in the Pakistan cricket team, placing them among the top 10 fittest cricketers in the world. His comments come ahead of Pakistan’s upcoming Test series against Bangladesh.
While praising these three players, Butt also expressed concerns about the overall fitness levels within the Pakistan squad, suggesting that the team’s preparation may not be up to the mark.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Butt stated:
“Improvements in fitness will be evident soon. Not all players are unfit. If you look at some of them, they are among the top 10 in world cricket in terms of fitness. Shan Masood, Fakhar Zaman, and Mohammad Rizwan have achieved excellent scores in the Yo-Yo Tests, perform well in the gym, and are strong runners on the field.”
However, Butt acknowledged that the fitness standards across the team are inconsistent, leading to unfair criticism of the entire squad.
“When things aren’t developing as they should, the whole team gets labeled as unfit, even though there are players who are very hardworking and maintain high fitness levels,” he added.
“Babar Azam Proved His Fitness with Consistent Performances” – Salman Butt
Butt also highlighted Pakistan’s white-ball captain Babar Azam as a prime example of a player with outstanding fitness. Babar, who is ranked among the top five batters in all three formats, has consistently demonstrated his physical readiness through his prolific run-scoring.
“Babar Azam has scored a truckload of runs over the last two years, proving his fitness. He has performed consistently, whether batting first or in the second innings. However, there seems to be a breakdown in maintaining these standards, which is wrong. It’s the players’ responsibility to keep up their fitness,” Butt emphasized.
Butt further commented on the intense scrutiny of the team’s fitness following Pakistan’s disappointing exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup, where they were eliminated before the Super Eights after losses to the USA and India. The criticism led to increased demands on players at the junior level to improve their fitness, but Butt noted that the root causes of these issues have yet to be addressed.
“The entire nation is talking about the team’s fitness, causing an uproar. Players at the junior level are being pushed hard for fitness after the team was criticized for being unfit during the T20 World Cup 2024. However, no one questioned the physios or trainers, and those responsible for the errors are still in place,” he concluded.
Pakistan is set to host Bangladesh for two Tests in Rawalpindi and Karachi, starting on August 21. The team will be looking to improve their fitness and performance after recent setbacks, including an early exit from the 2023 ODI World Cup and a 0-3 Test series loss in Australia.