Asia Cup: Pakistan bring in motivational speaker ahead of tense India match

Dubai, Sep 20 (IANS) Demoralised after being beaten comprehensively in a crucial league match that ended in controversy over no handshake, Pakistan have roped in a motivational speaker to help their team handle the pressure of a rematch between the two neighbours in the Super 4s stage of the Men's T20 Asia Cup here on Sunday.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has added a motivational speaker, Dr Raheel Karim, to help the team, which had come under tremendous pressure after its abject surrender in the league match, according to a report in Telecom Asia Sport.

Dr Raheel brings a wealth of experience in sports and other fields and has worked with several teams in the last decade. "Dr. Raheel joined on Wednesday and will remain with the squad until the end of the tournament," highly-placed sources told www.telecomasia.net on Saturday.

According to the report, there is a feeling that the Pakistan team is going through the jitters in facing India and has failed in handling the pressure of the high-intensity clash.

Playing insipid cricket, Pakistan lost to India by seven wickets in the Group A game at the Dubai International Stadium last Sunday, which makes it 11 defeats in their last 14 T20Is against their bitter rivals, the report said.

The rematch is important for Pakistan to not only progress in the Super Four but to end this campaign on a higher note.

The Pakistan team management is leaving no stone unturned in motivating and shielding its players from the excess pressure. Keeping this in mind, the Pakistan team management cancelled the pre-match press conference, which was scheduled for Saturday evening, and sources said that was done to avoid questions on the no handshake row in the previous India game and about the stand off that followed.

India played at a higher standard, bowled superbly and dominated the match as they outplayed Pakistan in the Group A league match that paved their way for their progress to the Super 4s section of the event.

--IANS

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