We all know Rotarian Maqbool “Max” Babri as a dedicated Rotarian. He has also held various district level offices including that of District Trainer. But few of us know that he was instrumental in helping Pakistan’s national Cricket team bring the T20 World Cup home.
By profession, our very own “Max” (as we all call him) is a Clinical Hypnotherapist, Consultant Psychotherapist, Transformation Coach and Trainer. He was contracted by the PCB to help boost the morale of the cricket team in May 2009. Max planned a six-day intervention for the team. As Max explained to me, he first had one-to-one session with each player in which he built rapport, understood their personal problems and aspirations and achieved a level of trust that was to be the foundation of his work.
Max during a group therapy to the cricket team
Some of the players went on to the extent of opening their hearts and even cried with him. Upon achieving this level of trust, he then had second round of individualized sessions in which he actually took the person into deep trance, commonly known as hypnosis. In this state he removed their mental blocks and instead placed positivity into their minds and built their confidence to win the game.
This is what one of the players later refers to in the media as “we were programmed to win”!!
In the third and last round he held group sessions and cemented their team confidence and took them through various “games” that help build their mutual trust and confidence in each other.
Cricket team going through a session
Interestingly while I was researching this topic, I came across comments dated late May 2009 from big name personalities mocking the work of Max, ridiculing that the team needs batting coach not hypnotists.
The team did what it was programmed to do: Bring the T20 World Cup home!
On his way back Shoaib Malik remarks to the media giving credit of the win to the Captain and the Psychologist. He said “I think those sessions helped as the doctor used the power of hypnotism to drill it into our minds that we were going to England to become the World T20 champions”.
Its not only a matter of pride for Pakistan, but also for Rotarians that we have such marvels amongst us, and surely he can help Rotary achieve great heights as well.
“Aisi bhi chingari ya rub apnay khakistar mein hai”
Well done, Max!
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M. Saeed Anjum Khokhar
1 year ago
Well done, Max. We r proud of you ………..
Keep it up.
M. Saeed Anjum Khokhar
Rotary Club of Lahore Cantt.
District 3270.
MIR ARIF ALI
1 year ago
Congrats Max on Pakistan Cricket Team achieving this great honour of winning the T20 World Cup. The players determination, the confidence and team effort made them achieve this target.
By the way I was one of the lucky ones to have watched the Finals at Lords and the memories of this match will always be remembered by me all my life. Well done old boy, your efforts paid off, the change could be seen in the attitudes of the players but it was a pleasent surprise for me to know that the great Rotarian Max Babri was behind the scene which is great honour for the Rotarians of District 3270 Well Done.
Dr Mumtaz President RC Dadu
1 year ago
Well done,go ahead.God bless you.
Hammad Khan
1 month ago
We’re proud of you Max. Keep it Up