In a harsh critique of the struggling Pakistan cricket team, head coach Gary Kirsten has remarked on the “lack of unity” within the squad, a situation he claims is unprecedented in his extensive coaching career. Kirsten’s comments came in the wake of Pakistan’s early exit from the group stage of the T20 World Cup being held in the USA and West Indies.
Despite entering the tournament as the previous edition’s runners-up, Pakistan delivered one of their poorest performances in recent memory, managing only a consolation win against Ireland. They suffered a surprising defeat to the USA, a newcomer to the cricketing scene, and lost to their traditional rivals, India.
Reports from Pakistani media indicate that Kirsten, who led India to victory in the 2011 ODI World Cup, did not hold back in his evaluation of the team’s performance after their elimination. Sources cited by Geosuper.tv reveal that Kirsten was particularly critical of the players’ fitness levels, which he found lacking. He also pointed out that the team’s skill levels were significantly behind those of other leading cricketing nations.
Gary Kirsten said: “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.”
“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.”
Kirsten attributed Pakistan’s loss to India to poor decision-making. The defeats to the USA and India resulted in Pakistan being ousted from the tournament before the group-stage matches concluded. Although they secured a win against Ireland, this only allowed Pakistan to finish third in Group A, with two wins out of four games.
Overall, Kirsten’s criticism highlights deep-rooted issues within the Pakistan cricket team, ranging from fitness and skill deficits to poor strategic decisions and a fragmented team spirit.
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