"Dr Maqbool Babri has been working with some of our players in recent times and he will also go with the team to India, which is going to be a high-pressure tour," Ashraf said during a media interaction in Karachi today.
The PCB chief said that the idea behind sending the sports psychologist with the team was to help the players cope with the pressure situations, especially in India.
Pakistan cricket team is scheduled to go to India next Sunday, December 22, to play two T20 Internationals and three ODIs against the arch rivals. This will be the first bilateral series between India and Pakistan in more than five years, and pressure is expected to be more on the Men in Green as the former will be playing in home conditions.
Iqbal Qasim led PCB selection committee has also picked up some youngsters in the ODI and T20 squads for the India tour, and Ashraf said that Babri’s presence should help the novices during the high-voltage itinerary.
Babri has held counselling sessions with tainted fast bowler Mohammad Amir, who is serving a five-year ban imposed on him by the ICC for his involvement in a spot-fixing scam in England two years ago. He also helped former wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider and batsmen Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shahzad, who have had behavioural problems in the past.
The players named in the ODI and T20 squads will also attend a week-long training session in Lahore, from December 14 to 22, before leaving for India.
The tour opening T20 international will be hosted by Bangalore’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium on December 27, while the second T20 will be played in Ahmedabad a day later. The three ODIs will be hosted by Chennai, Kolkata and Delhi on December 29, January 3 and 6 respectively.
The India series will be followed by a tour to South Africa in January next year.
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