Shoaib Malik: “I didn’t focus much on his skills; I worked on his mindset. Our players don’t need as much technical correction as they need mental clarity”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik has recalled working with wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Haris to help enhance his mindset.
He noted that during his time as a mentor, he encouraged Haris to adopt a different mindset when approaching matches
Malik prioritised working on Haris’ mindset over his technique, as there was little need for technical adjustments.
“Mentoring is not just about telling someone what to do. A mentor should first listen to the player’s mindset – how they view the game. When I spoke with Haris, I suggested he try a different approach,” he was quoted as saying by Geo Super.
“Even if it didn’t bring immediate success, at least he would understand the process. I didn’t focus much on his skills; I worked on his mindset. Our players don’t need as much technical correction as they need mental clarity.”
Haris was recently involved in Pakistan’s T20I tri-series against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Afghanistan, where he mustered 33 runs at an average of 6.60 and a strike-rate of 84.61.
He performed much better in the 2025 Asia Cup, amassing 131 runs in seven games, which included a top score of 66, at an average of 21.83 and a strike-rate of 133.67.
The men in green managed to make it to the final, but couldn’t go all the way as they ended up losing to India by five wickets.
Pakistan will be back in action soon as they will host South Africa for two Tests, three T20Is, and three ODIs, which will take place from October 12 to November 8.
Pakistan squad for South Africa Test series: Shan Masood (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Asif Afridi, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi
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