Sir: I am writing this letter in the wake of the Pakistani cricket team’s 29-run defeat at the hands of the Indian team in the ICC World Cup 2011 semi-final. I am of the view that, technically, the Indian cricket team outplayed our team in every department. Loose attack bowling, dropped catches, poor boundary fielding and total collapse of the middle order batting were the major reasons for this defeat. The team lacked focus, sense of responsibility and control, which are prerequisites in a competition of this level. Mature players have these capabilities built in to their systems and it comes with experience and exposure. I really do not understand why the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chose to ignore seasoned players like Mohammad Yousaf, Shoaib Malik and Shoaib Akhtar for this important match and the overall tournament. There is also a big question mark on the team’s management. In this match, it was evident that leadership, on and off the field, was missing. I suggest the team to hire the services of professional psychiatrists to coach our team about stress management techniques. In any case, our cricket crazy nation is deeply disappointed because, when it comes to playing with India on any level, they do not consider it a game; for us, it becomes a matter of national pride. NASIR RIAZ Lahore