The Babar Azam-led Pakistan cricket team has faced a major setback by failing to qualify for the Super Eights in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies. This outcome has left their head coach, Gary Kirsten, deeply disappointed and frustrated. Kirsten, who was appointed head coach just before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, has expressed his dismay at the lack of unity within the team, a situation he finds unprecedented in his extensive coaching career.
According to a report by PTI, which cited Pakistani media outlets, Kirsten did not hold back in his criticism of the team’s performance and internal dynamics following their early exit from the tournament. His remarks emphasized the urgent need for the Pakistan cricket team to address the evident lack of cohesion and team spirit.
“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,” Gary Kirsten was quoted as saying by TOI, reflecting his profound disappointment.
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Further exacerbating the situation, Kirsten also voiced concerns about the players’ fitness levels. As reported by Geosuper.tv, he pointed out that the team’s overall skill level is considerably lower compared to international standards. Kirsten attributed Pakistan’s defeat in particular to poor decision-making during their match against India.
“Disappointing loss, that’s for sure,” Gary Kirsten said, according to TOI. “I knew 120 was not going to be an easy target. If India got only 120, it was always going to be not the easiest. But I think 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.”
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In the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup, Pakistan finished third in their group stage, with a mixed performance that saw them losing to the USA and India, but securing wins against Canada and Ireland. This inconsistent performance highlights the critical issues within the team that Kirsten has pointed out, emphasizing the need for a significant overhaul to improve unity and performance on the global stage.
