Today’s semi-final between Pakistan and Australia is not just another cricket match. It will also see two old friends taking on each other as coaches of two rivals teams. Mathew Hayden is the batting consultant for Pakistan in this T20 World Cup while Justin Langer is the head coach of Australia team.
Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer shared plenty of memorable moments on and off the field together when they were members of the mighty Australian side. They opened Australia batting in 113 Test innings and added 5655 runs together at an average above 51 as part of the most dominant Australian side. No wonder this sub-plot of today’s semi-final clash between Pakistan and Australia is going to be a nostalgic trip for the fans. Hayden will also be up against his home side for whom he used to be a mainstay and won multiple important matches.
During a chat with the ICC, Hayden said, “It is a very unusual feeling, I was a warrior for Australian cricket for over two decades, so that does give me the benefit of having wonderful insights not only into these players but also into the culture of cricket in Australia.”
He added, “I guess from my point of view there is the challenge of the heart, the challenge of the mind in terms of what’s going to happen over the next 24 hours, but I’ll also say very proudly that it’s been wonderful to be a part of Pakistan cricket.”
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