- Report notes players’ discipline, game awareness, and level of fitness.
- PCB chief will consult other board members, former players.
- According to Kirsten, players’ value unity and fitness will be segment of the team.
Sources reported on Wednesday that Gary Kirsten, Pakistan’s white-ball coach, has sent the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) a “confidential” assessment report on the poor national side performance in the just finished T20 World Cup.
The sources stated have been forwarded to PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who will evaluate the report stressing players’ fitness, discipline, game knowledge, among other factors influencing the team’s early Mega Event withdrawal.
The development follows the Green Shirts’ upset loss against the tiny United States followed by a setback versus arch-rivals India, failing even to reach the Super Eight level of the World Cup.
The side headed by Babar Azam barely won games against Canada and Ireland, which would not have been enough to advance the team to the next level of the competition.
Fans and former players both harshly criticised the national side’s below-par performance, which led the PCB president to declare a “major surgery” in the team.
To decide on the team’s future, the board chose to wait for the report of Kirsten and senior manager Wahab Riaz, nevertheless.
Following review of the findings, the PCB chief will also confer with other board members and former players before deciding on the direction forward.
Earlier, sources had revealed that Kirsten had voiced worries about the players’ fitness standards, declaring they fell short.
The coach noted in a conversation with the players following World Cup elimination that their ability level is much behind that of other countries.
“Despite playing so much cricket, no one knows which shot to play and when,” he remarked, adding that only players who respect unity, focus on fitness, and develop their skill set will be part of the squad moving ahead.
Wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan, who spoke with the media in Peshawar on Tuesday, also admitted the team’s poor performance and claimed the criticism the Men in Green endured was warranted.
“We deserve the criticism the team is facing as we did not perform in line with expectations. Players unable of handling criticism will not be successful.
“We’re not happy with our T20 World Cup performance. Our losses are caused for several different factors. One cannot say, Rizwan remarked, that bowling and batting are performing well when a team loses.
