Kirsten unhappy with Pak show in T20 WC

‘Team’s skill and fitness level not up to international standard’

Pakistan’s Head Coach Gary Kirsten has reportedly questioned the unity and sensibility of the Pakistan cricket team players after its ignominious first round ouster from the ICC T20 World Cup, being played in the United States and the West Indies.

According to sources, the former South African batsman expressed his deep concerns over the lack of unity within the Pakistan cricket team, stating that no one supports anyone in the team the players are working in isolation.

Kirsten stated that he has never witnessed such a situation in his coaching career, having worked with multiple teams in the past.

He also pointed out that the team’s skill level is significantly lagging as compared to the rest of the world. “Despite playing so much cricket, no one knows which shot to play and when,” he claimed.

The white-ball coach stressed that if the team wants to compete with the best in the world, it will have to improve its fitness and skill set and learn to work together as a unit. He warned that players who fail to do so will not be part of the team.

Pakistan were knocked out of the T20 World Cup in the group stage after a crucial Group A fixture between the co-host United States of America (USA) and Ireland was abandoned here without a ball bowled.

The Green Shirts had a disastrous start to their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign as they suffered a shock loss against the USA in the Super Over.

Pakistan then succumbed to a frustrating six-wicket defeat against arch-rivals India at a jam-packed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on June 9. The back-to-back defeats put Pakistan on the verge of an early exit from the tournament.

The former champions then finally got on the winning track when they registered a hard-fought seven-wicket victory over Canada.

Pakistan then edged past Ireland in another stiff challenge to bow out of the T20 World Cup 2024 with a win. The 2009 champions finished third in Group A standings with four points in four matches.

Inzaman blames poor selection for T20 WC debacle

Former Pakistan cricket captain, Inzamam-ul-Haq, has voiced strong criticism against the team’s selection committee following their premature exit from the T20 World Cup 2024 currently being co-hosted by the USA and West Indies.

In a recent statement on his YouTube channel, Inzamam condemned the lack of specialized middle-order batsmen, attributing it as a significant factor contributing to Pakistan’s group stage elimination.

“This is certainly not the way a team should be selected. From No. 1 to No. 5 all are openers! It is shameful that we cannot find middle-order batters in all of Pakistan,” Inzamam said.

The former chief selector further highlighted Pakistan’s broader struggles, referencing their unsatisfactory performance in the Asia Cup last year, where they failed to advance to the final.

He also pointed out their unimpressive track record leading up to the World Cup, having won only one out of six bilateral series.

“This struggle is not limited to the T20 World Cup,” he said. “They struggled in a similar manner in the Asia Cup as well... You did not see them perform as a unit,” he added.