Pakistan players need to work on their mental strength, says Wasim Khan

Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) Managing Director Wasim Khan on Saturday said that players need to work on their mental strength to remove the 'mercurial' tag as the team chokes at crucial games.

"We need to work on the mental strength of our players right from the age-group cricket. It is not good that the people affiliate terms like 'mercurial' with our side and say that we crumble under pressure," Dawn.com quoted Khan as saying.

Khan said Pakistan is proud cricket nation and needs to get rid of the mercurial tag for that they have to use sports psychologist, same like other sports personnel use around the world.

We are a proud cricket nation and need to get rid of that tag. We need to use a sports psychologist, something which is being done by all the top sportsmen and sportswomen around the world," he added.

Khan emphasised on the development of women cricket in Pakistan and said he is keen to change and enhance the status of women cricketer in the country.

"The way the women cricket had been neglected in the country is a reflection on how women are treated in the society and added that he is keen to change such trends and enhance the status of women cricketers," Khan said.

"We have done things differently now. Earlier, ours was the only women's team that did not travel business class when travelling for more than five hours. They do so now and we have also increased their daily allowances and match fee to bring it to the level of the men's side," he added.

Khan added that board had increased the payment of the women domestic players and now they will get 10,000 Pakistani rupees per match.

"The women playing domestic cricket will now earn 10,000 Pakistani rupees per match. What we have is fighting spirit and resilience. A lot of these women have to go through a lot to be where they are right now," Khan said.