Following Pakistan’s dismal performance in the T20 World Cup, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday gave coaches Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie carte blanche to turn around the team’s fortunes, according to sources. Pakistan lost to newcomers USA and arch-rivals India in the group stage of the World Cup and were eliminated from the competition held in the USA and the Caribbean. Naqvi met the white ball and red ball coaches, where Kirsten and Gillespie shared their plans for the national team.
According to the PCB, Naqvi told the two coaches that he had full confidence in them and that they would receive full support from the cricket board.
“Kirsten was direct in raising her concerns about the World Cup-based white-ball team,” said a PCB source.
Both coaches told the PCB chairman that they wanted to establish clear guidelines on the fitness levels required to be considered in Pakistan national team selection.
“Naqvi told them that they should do whatever was necessary to change the team’s fortunes and no one would ask them to make any concessions in the selection or fitness of the players,” the source added.
Kirsten warned the team’s senior professionals after the team’s defeat to the USA and India to adapt to new skill sets and improve their knowledge of the game, or they will be left behind. Senior national team coach Wahab Riaz, in his report submitted to Naqvi, described personality conflicts in the team during the World Cup.
“The PCB chief said that both coaches were free to take whatever decisions they wanted to improve the team’s performance in the red-ball and white-ball formats.” Assistant coach Azhar Mahmood was also present during the meeting.
The source added that Kirsten, while discussing her experience with the Pakistan team during the World Cup, told Naqvi that there was a need to rebuild combinations in the white-ball format and also change the mentality of the players.
Kirsten and Gillespie agreed to become white-ball and red-ball coaches respectively a few months before the World Cup after Naqvi approached them and offered them long-term contracts with the assurance that they would have adequate opportunities to implement his plans.
Kirsten has also worked with the Indian team and arrives in Pakistan with a great reputation.
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