By Aakash Biswas,News18

Copyright news18

Pakistan’s campaign in the Asia Cup has been about all but cricket. While their performance, especially with the bat, has been disappointing, their off-field drama has kept hogging the limelight. Amid the handshake row, it was learned that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed a psychologist to help players manage stress, stay focused and maintain composure under pressure.
The appointment of a physiologist in the middle of tournament has question the team’s strength, leading to a different debate altogether. Former PCB chief Najam Sethi opened up on the concept of having a mental health expert with the team during his tenure but the players disapproved it.
“I tried for it [Having a psychiatrist] during my tenure. But, players here don’t really accept such things, because in our culture therapy is often misunderstood. Going to a psychiatrist is considered a sign of weakness or even madness, which creates stigma,” Sethi told Samaa TV.
The former PCB chief further pointed out that the language barrier between the expert and players in the team.
“Mental health, however, is a broader concept. Unfortunately, here it is only reduced to: “Are you crazy or not?”
“But the most interesting factor here is, many of these experts are foreign-qualified. They communicate in English which isn’t the language of our boys. They are required to be told in Urdu or Pashto.
“Their backgrounds, their class, and the lack of proper education is another issue. Psychiatrist bhi raato raat unko kuch nahi seekha sakta (A psychiatrist can’t help them overnight),” Sethi added.

Big: PCB has hired psychiatrists for Pak cricketers after humiliation at hands of India. It’s not helping though coz ‘illiterate’ Pak cricketers can’t understand English.
– Ex PCB Chief Najam Sethipic.twitter.com/abya4M9BLD
— Pakistan Untold (@pakistan_untold) September 21, 2025

Meanwhile, the news anchor spoke about PCB’s efforts to get rid of Andy Pycroft. The ICC match referee was accused of being biased and favouring India. Sethi straightaway said the Pakistan Cricket Board won’t be able to do, accusing India of controlling the ICC.
“As for Andy Pycroft, despite all the noise, Pakistan won’t be able to remove him now. Baat ye hai ki ICC India ke haath mein hai (The fact is simple: the ICC is in India’s hands), and that’s it,” Sethi said.