Pakistan to consult sports psychologist

The Pakistan team, following its Test and ODI series defeats in Sri Lanka, will hold counselling sessions with a sports psychologist in preparation of the ICC Champions Trophy in September. Maqbool Bari had worked with the team ahead of the ICC World Twenty20, which Pakistan went on to win, and captain Younis Khan was hopeful the time spent with a psychologist will help them achieve a similar result in the Champions Trophy.

"There is no doubt that the sessions with the psychologist helped improve the self belief and focus of the players before the T20 World Cup," Younis told Reuters. "Those sessions were one of the reasons for us showing great fighting spirit to win the T20 World Cup."

Though Pakistan ended their Sri Lankan tour on a high, winning two ODIs and a Twenty20 international in succession, their performance, when it mattered, was poor. They collapsed thrice in the first two Tests, squandering dominant positions and losing the series 2-0, and went on to lose the first three ODIs as well. The counselling sessions, Younis believed, will help his team handle pressure situations with greater ease. He has requested the PCB to arrange a schedule with a sports psychologist during a short conditioning camp to be held ahead of the Champions Trophy.

"We will have two proper counselling sessions because there is a problem with us that we tend to suffer from a mental block when it comes to handling pressure or finishing off matches," Younis said.

Pakistan's problems with their batting during the Sri Lankan tour had prompted the PCB to go on the lookout for a batting coach. Saeed Anwar has been tipped to take over that role, though the board has currently hired Javed Miandad as the team's batting adviser. Younis added that the presence of former captains Anwar and Waqar Younis at the conditioning camp would also be highly beneficial for the players. "I think our players can gain a lot by seeking advice from these former greats and a psychologist," he said. "We need these things to do well in the Champions trophy which is a mega event."