Mohsin’s focus is on mental toughness

Pakistan coach Mohsin Hasan Khan has asked his players focus on mentally toughness against their opponents. On the eve of the team’s departure to UAE, where Pakistan will play Sri Lanka in a full series comprising three Test matches, five ODI games and one T20 international, Mohsin said: “We have a talented team which has performed well in recent times, have steadily improved and become consistent,” Pakpassion quoted Khan as saying.
“The results have been good and the team has gelled very well and looks a very useful unit. The training camp held over the last few days in Lahore went very well. I have also tried to emphasise the need for the boys to focus on the mental aspects of cricket,” he added. “Mental toughness is the key and sometimes the difference between winning and losing in a tight match situations is of nerves. Look at the great Australian teams of past decades, they had a never-say-die attitude and that meant that they never gave the opposition an inch and managed to time and again grab victory from the jaws of defeat. They were mentally so strong and this is something that I have been speaking in detail about to the Pakistan squad at the camp. You can be the best bowler, batsman or fielder, but if you are not mentally strong then you will rarely succeed at the top level.” Khan, who scored seven centuries and nine half-centuries in 48 Tests for Pakistan, with a highest score of 200 against England, stated the examples of promising batsmen Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq as two young cricketers was a reflection on the mental side of the game. “I look at Azhar (Ali) and Asad (Shafiq) as two very talented young batsmen. They are excellent cricketers who can serve Pakistan well. With a greater emphasis on mental toughness these boys can become even more accomplished and tougher opponents for the bowlers they come up against.” Responding to a question about Azhar Ali’s inability to convert half centuries into century, Khan stated: “I don’t want the boys like Azhar to focus on just making centuries, rather I would like them to score double centuries and I am sure that with more focus on the mental side of the game, this will happen in future.” The Pakistan versus Sri Lanka series commences on October 18 with the first Test match at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.