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'The Story Started When…': Basit Ali Reveals Gary Kirsten's Pakistan Coach Resignation Story


Gary Kirsten has resigned as Pakistan's limited-overs head coach. [Source: @dhillow_/X]Gary Kirsten has resigned as Pakistan's limited-overs head coach. [Source: @dhillow_/X]

The iconic game of musical chairs can feel embarrassed in front of the circus that the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) is. Just when one thought of expecting some uniformity in decisions, limited-overs head coach Gary Kirsten announced his resignation only six months into the role.

The fact that all of this happened less than 24 hours after yet another newly-elected selection committee announced a new captain for both the ODIs and T20Is sums up the paucity of consistency in the country’s cricketing matters.

Basit Ali Throws Light On Dictatorship

Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali took to his YouTube channel to highlight PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi’s immense power and control. As per Ali, anyone who would dare to raise his/her voice will be sidelined as Naqvi wants to call the shots on his own.

    "Mohsin Naqvi has come with a lot of power. The coaches, selectors and managers are being removed. Earlier, the chairman used to be changed from time to time. Now, whoever raises their voice will be sidelined," Ali said on his YouTube channel.

    It is noteworthy that the same doesn’t hold true in entirety. Former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie, Pakistan’s Test head coach, has been handed with the additional charge of both the white-ball formats for the imminent tour of Australia. Not consulted in selection matters during the recently concluded Test series against England, Gillespie had publicly censured for PCB for treating him as a "match-day analyst".

    Ali, 53, further stated how Kirsten was unhappy with Mohammad Rizwan being named Pakistan’s new white-ball captain yesterday. While the name remains unknown, Kirsten wasn’t happy with not getting the captain he wanted in place of Rizwan.

    "The story started when Mohammad Rizwan was named Pakistan's new white-ball captain. [Gary] Kirsten wanted a different captain and demanded another player in the team. Coincidently, both of them are not in the team. He was thinking that maybe he could have full authority. However, he doesn't know that in Pakistan, even the PCB chairman can get changed overnight," he mentioned.

    Inconsistency Is PCB’s Go-to Formula

    Be it the captain, coaches, other members of the support staff or the chairman himself, PCB’s tryst with inconsistent decision has been in front of the world to see for a long time now.

    Speaking particularly of ODI cricket, Pakistani fans have witnessed Babar Azam stepping down from the captaincy, Shaheen Shah Afridi being named his replacement, getting sacked subsequently, Azam being appointed again, Kirsten being named head coach, Azam resigning, Rizwan being named captain and Kirsten resigning - all within less than 12 months.

    Most astonishingly, Pakistan haven’t played a single ODI match in this period.