Pakistan’s cricket coach, Gary Kirsten, acknowledged the immense pressure his team faces going into their T20 World Cup match against India, but downplayed the significance of their opening round defeat to the USA.
In a pre-match press conference, Kirsten surprised many with his frank assessment of the India-Pakistan rivalry. “I certainly see it as a massive privilege to be part of these games,” he said. “Cricket doesn’t get bigger than this. It’s going to be a great occasion.”
This statement comes despite Kirsten only being with the Pakistan team for two weeks. “I’ve been with the team for 13 days, so it’s early days for me,” he admitted, “but it’s been a real privilege to work with the Pakistan team.”
Pakistan’s opening loss to the USA has put them in a must-win situation against India. However, Kirsten is urging his team to focus on the present. “I don’t like to harp on history too much,” he said. “We need to make sure we play the best cricket we can now, so tomorrow we’re going out there and make sure we do the best that we can with our skill sets, and how we can put pressure on the opposition. That’s what we would want to do every game, that’s certainly how we would plan for every game. So it’s really up to us to get ourselves up for the game.”
While acknowledging the pressure of the India clash, Kirsten expressed confidence in his team’s motivation. “It’s a big game, India-Pakistan,” he said. “There’s no need for me to motivate the team any more, they’re well motivated, they’re focused for this game. We’ve to forget about the last couple of days and just move forward. That’s the only way you can deal with life. Results are results, they take care of themselves, but the way we arrive at a match and pitch up and give it our best shot and make sure that our skills are up to where we need to be – that’s all we can control.”
This upcoming match promises to be a high-octane encounter, with both teams fighting for crucial points in the T20 World Cup group stage.
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