NEW DELHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is exploring the possibility of including a psychologist in the squad for the high-stakes ICC ODI World Cup 2023 to be held in India. The decision, however, will be finalised only after a meeting between PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf and the team's captain, Babar Azam.
Babar, who is currently representing Colombo Strikers in the Lanka Premier League (LPL), will have a crucial discussion with Ashraf to assess the benefits of having a psychologist with the team during the prestigious tournament.
A PCB official highlighted the chairman's belief that having a psychologist on board can significantly help players cope with the immense pressures and expectations that come with participating in a high-profile event like the ICC World Cup. The psychologist's presence is especially crucial for Pakistan as they are set to visit India for the first time since 2016.
In the past, when Ashraf served as the chairman of PCB, he had enlisted the services of a renowned psychologist, Maqbool Babri, to work with the players. Babri had previously travelled with the team to India during the 2012/13 tour. This experience has underscored the importance of mental support for the players, especially during tough times or when they face external pressures during their tours.
It is worth noting that ahead of the 2011 World Cup, the Pakistan players had also undergone sessions with a sports psychologist to enhance their mental preparedness before their tour to India.
In the upcoming World Cup, Pakistan are scheduled to play their matches in Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Ahmedabad.
(With inputs from PTI)
