Pakistan vs New Zealand 2018-19: Sports psychologist to aid Pakistan

Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s head coach, hopes it would help the team handle pressure better.

Worrying weakness: Pakistan’s four-run loss in the first Test against New Zealand was, for Arthur, “one of the worst defeats I have ever suffered in my career.”

Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s head coach, wants a sports psychologist to work with his players, hoping it would help the team handle pressure better.

Surprisingly, Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed is unaware of how the sports psychologist will work with the team. “I have heard about it but I don’t know how he will work with the team. I have never had the chance of working with a sports psychologist but If I do only then can I say how the experience is like. But yes, our batsmen are failing to play long innings and crumble when asked to chase a target,” he said.

Collapse: Pakistan lost seven wickets for 41 runs to lose the first Test by four runs. Photo: AP

 

Sarfraz said Pakistan’s batsmen need to get rid of their habit of throwing away wickets after getting set.

Big problem

After Pakistan’s four-run loss against New Zealand, Arthur had said crumbling under pressure was a big problem with the team and that a solution was required for it. Arthur had said he had suggested using the services of a sports psychologist to work with the players.

This is not the first time Pakistan’s players would be interacting with a sports psychologist; such experiments have taken place in the past, but with little or no success.