THE Pakistan Cricket Board’s recent move to arrange online lectures by eight legendary cricketers for the benefit of younger players is a fine initiative. Great players including Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Mohammad Yousuf, Moin Khan, Mushtaq Ahmed, Rashid Latif, Shoaib Akhtar and Younis Khan are holding interactive online sessions with current and emerging Pakistani cricketers to help them remain motivated and keep their focus on the game during the lockdown period. With all major sporting events and tours either being postponed or cancelled owing to the unprecedented situation created by the coronavirus pandemic, experts and parent bodies of various sports are apprehensive that depression will set in among the athletes due to inaction. Cricketers, of course, are no exception, and the PCB deserves a lot of credit for coming up with an innovative programme thanks to which iconic players have started sharing their experiences, besides passing on useful tips to young bowlers, batsmen and wicket keepers to ensure that they remain connected to the game.

Lack of mental toughness has been a major challenge for Pakistani players during the past decade or so, especially during overseas tours, and has all too often resulted in brittle performances and defeats. It is unfortunate that previous PCB regimes have not done much to address this problem. Ideally, the team coaches should look into their problems but the players have often felt the need for a mentor to guide them or to share their concerns in moments of crisis. The impact of the online sessions is already evident from the recent statement made by the country’s newest pace sensation, 17-year-old Naseem Shah, who said that listening to inspiring stories from his role models is exciting and a rare opportunity to learn how tougher opponents should be tackled. If Pakistan’s three-Test tour of England, which is set to commence by the end of July, is on schedule, the online sessions by veteran cricketers will surely hold the current team in good stead.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2020