The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has hired the services of an Australian psychologist, it is learned. 

Dr. Phil Jauncey is a performance psychologist, who arrived in Bangladesh last Thursday. 

Speaking exclusively over the telephone from Bangladesh, he said, "I am here for a week and preparing the team for the forthcoming Asia Cup and the World Cup". 

"We are having one-to-one sessions with the players and also the team sessions", he further added. 

Obviously, few Bangladeshi players, including Asia Cup captain Shakib ul Hasan, who are playing the Lanka Premier League (LPL) in Sri Lanka will miss the sessions with Dr. Phil Jauncey. 

Dr. Phil Jauncey's name as a psychologist is likely to have been suggested by the head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe. Former Sri Lankan all-rounder Hathrusinghe also hired the same psychologist's services with the Bangladesh team (2016 & 2017) during his first stint. Dr. Jauncy also travelled to Sri Lanka in 2018 when Hathurusinhe was Sri Lanka's national head coach. He had been a psychological consultant to the Australian Cricket Team between 2001 and 2008. 

The 36-year-old all-rounder Shakib is playing for Galle Titans and his team will be playing its first qualifier against Dambulla Aura on Thursday. (Bipin Dani)