PCB's Medical Team Under Fire as Talented Pacer Undergoes Personal Rehab

The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) medical team has been under fire for some time now over its role in providing adequate care to injured players — and Arshad Iqbal could have been the next name on the list had he not taken matters into his own hands.

In an interview with PakPassion, the right-arm fast bowler opened up about his long and frustrating battle with fitness, revealing that he had to leave Pakistan to complete his rehabilitation after the PCB’s medical team prematurely declared him fit.

“I completed my treatment with the PCB and also finished my rehab there. The NCA declared me fit, but when I played, I didn’t feel completely fit and ended up getting two injuries,” Arshad shared candidly.

After facing multiple setbacks following his initial clearance from the National Cricket Academy (NCA), the pacer decided to travel to the UK for further rehabilitation.

“Later, I completed my rehab in the UK, and now I’m fully fit,” he added with renewed optimism.

Arshad Iqbal’s case has once again raised questions over the PCB’s medical staff and its qualifications. Several players in recent years have opted to move to the UK for rehabilitation — some even at their own expense — rather than trust the local medical setup. Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub both had their surgeries in England while Ihsanullah has also blamed his stunted recovery on a botched surgery performed by PCB-employed professionals, further fueling concerns about the system.

Arshad Iqbal could have been another casualty, but he chose to take control of his recovery to safeguard his career. The veteran of three T20Is has revealed that he will return to Pakistan soon to resume training.

For now, Arshad Iqbal is focused on one goal — getting back to bowling fast and earning his place in the Pakistan squad once again.

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