Pakistan named Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie as white-ball and red-ball coaches, respectively.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a significant change to its coaching staff, appointing separate head coaches for the white-ball and red-ball national teams. Former South African cricketer Gary Kirsten and Australian pace legend Jason Gillespie will take charge of the limited-overs and Test sides, respectively. Former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood has been named the all-round assistant coach.
Kirsten brings a wealth of international coaching experience to the table. He famously guided India to their 2011 World Cup triumph and has also served as head coach for his home nation, South Africa.
“It’s a tremendous honour to be entrusted with the responsibility of coaching the Pakistan men’s national team in white-ball cricket and to rejoin the international cricket arena after some time. I eagerly anticipate this opportunity and aim to contribute positively to the Pakistan men’s national team in limited-overs cricket,” commented Kirsten, as stated on PCB’s official website.
Gillespie, on the other hand, has yet to coach at the international level but boasts extensive experience in franchise cricket around the world. “The ICC World Test Championship is the ultimate in the Test format. I understand this cycle is likely to prove too great a task, as we would need to win a lot of matches in a short space of time to have any chance of making the final, but aspiring to be in that final and winning it has to be a medium- to long-term goal for us,” said the newly appointed Pakistan coach.
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PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi expressed his delight at the appointments, highlighting the coaches’ impressive credentials. “I extend my congratulations to Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten on their appointments. Their stellar track records precede them, and I warmly welcome them to the Pakistan cricket family,” added Naqvi.
While Kirsten is expected to take up his role in the upcoming T20I series against England in May, Gillespie will only start after the T20 World Cup.
Last Updated on April 28, 2024
