ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday appointed Gary Kirsten as the new head coach for the national team’s limited overs cricket and Jason Gillespie as the Test format coach, with less than two months to go until the ICC T20 World Championship. He announced that he had been accepted. Cup 2024 will begin in West Indies and America.
Following a change of portfolio in November 2023, Pakistan has had no changes since former team director Mickey Arthur and coaches Grant Bradburn and Andrew Puttik were transferred to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore. Both formats are without a head coach.
The trio left their respective positions in January this year, months after Pakistan suffered a disastrous 50-over defeat in last year’s World Cup in India.
“Following a recruitment process, the three appointments have been made for a two-year term,” the PCB said in a statement, adding that former cricketer Azhar Mahmood will be appointed as assistant coach for matches across all three formats. It added that it had been confirmed.
“I would like to congratulate Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten on their appointment as red-ball head coach and white-ball head coach respectively of the Pakistan men’s cricket team,” PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said at a press conference on Sunday. Ta.
“Their illustrious track record precedes them and I warmly welcome them to the Pakistan cricket family.”
Kirsten, 56, is a former South African top-flight batsman who played 101 Test matches and 185 ODIs between 1993 and 2004, scoring a total of 14,087 runs and 34 centuries.
The 56-year-old former top South African batsman played 101 Tests and 185 ODIs between 1993 and 2004, scoring 34 centuries and a total of 14,087 runs.
Kirsten coached India from 2008 to 2011 and helped India win the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2011 title and the number 1 position in the ICC Test Team Rankings.
He also coached the South African men’s cricket team from 2011 to 2013, leading the team to the number one position in the ICC Test Team Rankings.
Kirsten has coached Indian Premier League (IPL) teams Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru and is currently the batting coach and mentor for Gujarat Titans, who won the 2022 IPL tournament. There is.
“It is a great honor to be given the responsibility of coaching the Pakistan men’s national white-ball cricket team and to rejoin the international cricket scene after some time,” Kirsten told PCB Digital.
“I am looking forward to this opportunity and aim to make a positive contribution to Pakistan’s national men’s limited-overs cricket team.”
Kirsten will take over the reins of the team immediately after completing her duties in the IPL. During her tenure, Kirsten will also be responsible for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and other bilateral white-ball series, as well as the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, ACC T20 Asia Cup 2025 and ICC Men’s T20 to be held in Pakistan next year. It is expected to be. The 2026 World Cup will be held in India and Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, former Australian fast bowler Gillespie will take over the responsibility for Pakistan’s ICC World Test Championship match against Bangladesh (home in August), followed by matches against England (home in October) and South Africa (away in December). I will be taking the test. 2024-25 season.
“I would like to thank the PCB for believing in my abilities and giving me the honor of coaching one of the most highly regarded and talented cricket teams in the traditional format of this sport,” Gillespie said. told PCB Digital.
“Leading the Pakistan cricket team is a huge achievement for any coach given its rich tradition and passionate fan base.”
Gillespie said he wanted Pakistan to win the Test, which was why he took on the coaching duties.
“Pakistan has a lot of quality fast bowlers and being able to utilize them will be the key to success,” Gillespie said.
“But we have quality in all departments: pace, spin, batting, keeping. We cover all the bases. It’s exciting to know we have talent like that. I look forward to working with such talented players.”
Gillespie, 49, played 71 Tests, 97 ODIs and one T20I between 1996 and 2006. He took a total of 402 wickets and accumulated 1,531 runs. The former pacer was part of the Australian team that won the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in South Africa in 2003.
Mr Gillespie coached Yorkshire County Cricket Club to back-to-back County Championship wins in 2014 and 2015, and during his time at Yorkshire he coached England stars Jonny Bairstow, Gary Ballance and Joe Root. It is said that he was raised.
