Pakistan have overcome fear of failure - psychologist

Pakistan sports psychologist Maqbool Babri, who earlier this year was hired to work with the national team, has said the players have conquered the fear of failure. Babri, a clinical psychologist and hypnotist, felt the body language being shown by the players meant Pakistan contenders to win the ICC Champions Trophy.

"Their body language is good. They are playing positive and most importantly they are also enjoying the competition, which are signs of a winning combination,' he told the Karachi-based Dawn. "The fear of defeat disables the true strength and potential of any team. I think that is also what happened with India when they played against Pakistan. They were thinking too much about what would happen if they lost."

Babri, who first worked with the team in a pre-World Twenty20 conditioning camp, said the idea was that each player should give their best every day, regardless of a match's result. "I have told our players that they must enjoy every match no matter who is in the opposition and the positive results will come automatically because no team can win every day."

The Pakistan board's decision to hire Babri before the World Twenty20, which they went on to win, had been criticised by former Pakistan players.