54-member Pakistan Cricket squad divided into four groups on arrival in New Zealand

On arrival in New Zealand, a 54-member Pakistan Cricket squad was split into four independent groups, each group isolated from other groups, living in separate blocks.

The officials reported that the players and officials will remain in isolation for a period of 14 days, the duration being calculated from the date of arrival in Christchurch.

“They will have the training and other movements at their respective decided times. It is like a different bubble for each group. Virtually every group is isolated from other groups and living in their own bubble,” he said.

“It is like four different bubbles within the biosecure environment set for the team,” the official explained.

Each squad has a number of players and officials with them, ensuring that the training of players can be properly managed with the best coaching staff available.

Cricketers Abid Ali, Shan Masood, Fawad Alam, Yasir Shah, Haris Sohail, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Azhar Ali, Imamul Haq are placed in group I along with batting coach Younis Khan, trainer Yasir Malik, media manager Ibrahim Badees, and Dr Hafiz Naeem.

However, the second group consists of Abdullah Shafiq, Zeeshan Malik, Imran Butt, Sohail Khan, Ammad Butt, Danish Aziz, Rohail Nazir, Zafar Gohar, Ejaz Ahmed (coach, Pakistan Shaheen), Mohammad Imran (masseur, Pak Shaheens), Usman Hashmi (Analyst, Pakistan Shaheens), Saboor Ahmed (Trainer, Pakistan Shaheens) and Rao Iftekhar Anjum, the bowling coach of Pakistani squad.

All-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed, bowling coach Waqar Younis and former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed are placed in group III along with Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hasnain, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and other officials.

The think tank of the Pakistan team including head coach Misbah ul Haq, the captain Babar Azam, his red ball deputy Mohammad Rizwan, white ball vice-captain Shadab Khan, and assistant manager Shahid Aslam are isolated in group VI.

The other members of this group include Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Hafeez, Musa Khan, Khushdil Shah, Haris Rauf, analyst Talha Ejaz, masseur Malang, and Dr Sohail Saleem.