The Pakistan cricket team received a lot of criticism for their poor form in the 2024 T20 World Cup. The defending champions were eliminated in the first round of the tournament. The disappointing campaign included an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the United States. However, once Pakistan’s tournament campaign ended with the final Group A match against Ireland, it was not the team’s poor performance but coach Gary Kirsten’s statement that became the focal point.
In a scathing criticism of the beleaguered Pakistan cricket team, coach Kirsten said there is “no unity” in the team and that he has “never seen such a situation” in his long coaching career. Kirsten’s criticism followed Pakistan’s elimination from the first round of the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies.
According to media reports in Pakistan, Kirsten, who guided India to ODI World Cup triumph in 2011, pulled no punches in her assessment of the team after being eliminated from the T20 final.
“There is no unity in the Pakistan team. They call it a team, but it is not a team. They do not support each other; everyone is separated, left and right. I have worked with many teams, but I have never seen such a situation,” he said Kirsten according to reports citing a senior scribe.
Geosuper.tv cited sources as saying that Kirsten also expressed her displeasure with the players’ fitness level. The former South Africa opener also said that the team is far behind in terms of skill level compared to the rest of the world.
“The team’s current key players Meri se bat huyi hai. Unhone confirms kiya hai ki jo final meeting huyi hai, unme unhone iss tarah ki baat ki hai and Gary Kirsten wali statement true hai (I spoke to some of the current players in The Team.
They confirmed that Gary Kirsten’s statement is correct and he said all these things in the final meeting),” Shehzad said on ‘Haarna Mana Hai’.
Out-of-favour Pakistani player Ahmed Shehzad clarified that the viral quote was actually given by Kirsten but he also clarified that it was said in a team meeting after Pakistan’s final T20 World Cup game against Ireland.
“I spoke to some players on the team. They confirmed that Kirsten said this in the final meeting,” said Shehzad GeoTV.
(With PTI inputs)
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