Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has brought back renowned sports psychologist Dr Maqbool Babri ahead of Asia Cup 2023. With Babar Azam & Co playing at least three India vs Pakistan clashes and two high-profile tournaments, PCB has decided to appoint a sports psychologist to help them deal with the extreme pressure. Dr Babri will be in Sri Lanka with the Pakistan Cricket team for Afghanistan vs Pakistan ODI series before Asia Cup and World Cup 2023.
“Yes, Dr Maqbool Babri who has worked in the past with counselling of some of our players will be accompanying the squad,” a PCB source told PTI.
He said the board wanted to facilitate the players in every way possible so that they were able to focus completely on their cricket and matches. Babri has in the past also worked with some players helping them understand how to handle pressure situations and get through bad performances and personal issues.
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A source in the PCB said that Babri was being sent with the team so that the players can always have a qualified psychologist to sit down with and discuss any issues instead of bottling up their feelings.
Most of the Pakistani players including skipper Babar Azam have not played any match in India. Hence, the team will be unaware of the huge pressure from the arch-rivals crowd as well as millions of people back home.
As Pakistan have already lost high-pressure matches to Australia and England in two T20 World Cups, PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf decided it was best to have a psychologist to accompany the team. There will be great media attention on the match as well as the venue.
In 2012, when Pakistan visited India for a limited-overs series (3 ODIs and 5 T20Is), PCB sent in Dr Maqbool Babri with the team. With his success, PCB has reappointed him.
Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 Camp:
The PCB announced on Sunday that a pre-Sri Lanka departure camp for the players in Pakistan will commence at the National Cricket Academy, Lahore from Monday. The three-day camp is being held before the team will depart for Hambantota on 17 August.
Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Muhammad Wasim Jnr, Salman Ali Agha and Saud Shakeel will attend the camp. Haris Rauf, Mohammad Rizwan, Tayyab Tahir and Shaheen Afridi will arrive in Lahore on 16 August from London for departure on 17 August.
The players participating in the Lanka Premier League including captain Babar Azam will join the team in Hambantota.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has also invited eight additional players in the camp. They are Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Arshad Iqbal, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Mohammad Umar, Sufyan Muqeem, Mehran Mumtaz and Qasim Akram.
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