In a scathing critique of the struggling Pakistan cricket team, head coach Gary Kirsten has sharply criticized the lack of unity within the squad following their early exit from the ongoing T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies. Kirsten, who previously led India to a World Cup victory in 2011, expressed dismay over what he described as a fractured team environment, unlike anything he has encountered in his coaching career.
Strong but I think very true from Gary Kirsten .. pic.twitter.com/kb43WfdhJ0
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) June 17, 2024
“There’s no unity in Pakistan’s team. They call it a team, but it isn’t a team. They aren’t supporting each other; everyone is separated, left and right. I’ve worked with many teams, but I’ve never seen such a situation,” Kirsten remarked, according to reports quoting a senior journalist.
Kirsten also reportedly voiced concerns over the team’s fitness levels and highlighted a significant gap in skill compared to global standards. Pakistan, entering the tournament as the runners-up from the previous edition, suffered a shock defeat to newcomers USA and a disappointing loss to arch-rivals India, contributing to their lacklustre performance.
Reflecting on Pakistan’s defeat to India, Kirsten attributed the loss to poor decision-making despite a promising position during the match. “Disappointing loss, that’s for sure,” Kirsten had commented. “We had the game at 72 for 2 with six or seven overs left. Disappointing not to get across the line from the position we got ourselves into.”
Pakistan managed a consolation victory over Ireland in their final group match, securing third place in Group A with two wins out of four games. However, their earlier defeats meant they were eliminated from the tournament before completing all group stage matches.
Kirsten’s candid assessment underscores the challenges facing Pakistan cricket as they aim to regroup and address systemic issues within the team structure and performance standards.
