Mohsin Khan, Pakistan's interim coach, has stressed the need for the Pakistan squad to focus on being mentally tough during their upcoming series against Sri Lanka in the UAE. He said while there was a lot of talent in the squad, the difference between winning and losing a match was often a team's mental resolve.
"We have a talented bunch of players who have performed well in recent times, have steadily improved and become consistent," Mohsin told Pakpassion.net on the eve of the team's departure for the UAE. "The results have been good, the team has gelled and look a very useful unit. The training camp held over the last few days in Lahore has gone well. While working on the usual facets of cricket, I have also tried to emphasise the need for the boys to focus on the mental aspects of cricket.
"Mental toughness is sometimes the difference between winning and losing in a tight match. Look at the great Australian teams of the past few years; they had a never-say-die attitude and that meant they managed, time and again, to 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 of cricket."
Khan mentioned young batsmen Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq as examples of players who could improve by becoming stronger mentally. Both batsmen have showed promise but have yet to play a long Test innings. Azhar, in fact, already has nine half-centuries in just 13 Tests, but has not been able to convert any into a hundred.
"I look at Azhar (Ali) and Asad (Shafiq) as two very talented young batsmen. With a greater emphasis on mental toughness these boys can become even more accomplished and tougher opponents for the bowlers they come up against," Mohsin said. "I don't want the boys like Azhar to focus on just making centuries, rather I would like to see double-centuries and I am sure that with some more focus on the mental aspects of the game that will happen in future."
The first Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka begins on October 18 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
