The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has introduced padel as a compulsory part of training at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore. Players attending long training camps should now play racquet sports for 40 minutes every alternate day as part of their fitness routine. The move is meant to improve agility, reflexes, endurance and field skills.The decision was made by senior selector and director of high performance Aqib Javed, who believes that padel can help players become fitter while making training more enjoyable.“Many of our players are already playing padel sports regularly, but they had to travel long distances to the limited courts in their home countries. We have now built a padel facility at the NCA for the players,” said Aqib, as quoted by the PTI news agency.I explained that padel, a sport that combines elements of tennis and squash, is physically demanding despite being played on a smaller court. According to him, it helps improve movement, endurance and overall fitness, making it a useful addition to cricket training.Aqib said the PCB wants the National Cricket Academy to become a place where players can develop all aspects of their game. Along with the mandatory padel sessions every second day, the council plans to add more sports and recreational facilities.The PCB intends to build basketball courts, as well as an indoor hall with snooker and other games. Aqib also revealed that the academy has already installed an AI-powered bowling machine as part of efforts to modernize training.With these additions, the PCB hopes to create a better environment for cricketers to improve their fitness, hone their skills and prepare more effectively for international cricket.