An intense outburst by coach Gary Kirsten in the dressing room has created a significant stir in Pakistan cricket. The incident has sparked widespread discussion, particularly on social media, where quotes allegedly attributed to Kirsten painted a negative picture of the Pakistan team.
One quote circulating on social media claimed that Kirsten said to a journalist, "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." This statement spread rapidly, fuelling speculation and criticism.
However, further investigation revealed that Kirsten’s remarks were made privately during a debriefing session in the dressing room rather than as public criticism. According to Geo TV, these comments came after Pakistan's victory over Ireland in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Sunday. The comments were part of a discussion meant to analyse the team's performance, but they were misinterpreted and sensationalised on social media.
During the debriefing, Kirsten reportedly expressed his frustration with the team's lack of cohesion, using strong language to emphasise that they did not function as a unified group. Some players are believed to have leaked these internal discussions to the media, possibly distorting Kirsten’s words based on their own biases towards certain players or officials. A source within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) clarified that Kirsten’s comments were not intended as public criticism, contrary to what had been reported.
Efforts to contact Kirsten directly were unsuccessful, but the PCB confirmed that he denied making any public statements about the team's performance. Kirsten, who recently served as part of the coaching staff for the Gujarat Titans, mentioned to the PCB that he is not active on social media and only makes official statements during press conferences.
The Pakistan team exited the World Cup earlier than expected after a surprising defeat to the USA and a narrow six-run loss to India. Their hopes of advancing to the Super 8s were dashed when their qualification depended on Ireland beating the USA, a match that was ultimately abandoned due to rain, resulting in Pakistan’s elimination in the first round.
Following their early exit, the team faced severe criticism from former players, pundits, and cricket legends, who expressed disappointment with their World Cup performance. Among them, Wasim Akram suggested that the team’s lack of unity contributed to their downfall.