Pak Cricket team to undergo 'mental therapy' before Lanka Test series

Karachi, Feb.15 (ANI): In a bid to prepare its players for the forthcoming home Test series against Sri Lanka, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is organising a conditioning camp where cricketers will undergo "mental therapy" sessions.

This special camp is aimed at preparing players 'mentally' for the longer version of the game, as Pakistan has not featured in any Test match for more than a year.

Pakistan's last Test match was against India in Bangalore in December 2007.They didn't play a single five-day game in 2008 due to a series of tour cancellations, with teams like Australia and India refusing to visit the country over security concerns.

It (camp) will be like a secret military exercise with no media or public allowed. All 22 probables will attend the camp.

"It will be good from the players to be away from the media glare for a while. The idea is to ensure that the players gel together and form an efficient unit.The players will get mental therapy and we will ensure that they switch to the Test mode after having not played a single Test in the last 15 months," The News quoted coach Intikhab Alam, as saying.

Alam said a special strategy will be chalked out for the forthcoming series during the camp.

"During the camp we will hold extensive discussions in which we (team management) will talk about our expectations and the players will speak on goals which they think are achievable," he added.

Alam expressed hope the team under the new captain, Younis Khan, will work cohesively for an improved show on the field after their humiliating 2-1 loss in the recently concluded one-day series against the islanders. (ANI)