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Gary Kirsten Abruptly Resigns as Head Coach of Pakistan’s White-Ball Team

Kirsten's resignation deals a significant blow to the Green Shirts, who are scheduled to tour Australia

On Monday, Gary Kirsten is reported to have resigned as the head coach of Pakistan’s white-ball team.

According to the sources, Kirsten resigned amid disagreements with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Yesterday, reports emerged of significant disagreements between Gary Kirsten and the PCB regarding team selection and support staff. Kirsten threatened to withdraw from the upcoming tour of Australia if his demands were not addressed.

He insisted on including players of his choice in both the selection committee and the team, even declining to attend the national team camp in Pakistan.

Kirsten’s resignation deals a significant blow to the Green Shirts, who are scheduled to tour Australia for a three-match ODI series starting on November 4, followed by an equally sized T20I series.

In April, the PCB appointed Kirsten as the head coach for the men’s white-ball team, alongside Australia’s Jason Gillespie, who took on the role for the red-ball team.

Although both coaches were given two-year contracts, Kirsten’s tenure was cut short after just a few months due to a strained relationship with the board. Sources attribute this to the South African’s unpredictable actions and failure to comply with contract terms.

As the now-former white-ball head coach, Kirsten not only declined to stay in Pakistan as required by his contract but also insisted on joining the team just five or six days before any series or tour.

Despite being reminded of his obligation to be available for 11 months as per his contract, sources indicated that Kirsten was absent both during and after the Champions Cup.

Additionally, sources revealed that he threatened to skip the Australia tour unless the contract with mental performance coach David Reid was resolved.

Another disagreement arose over the selection committee. Previously, head coaches were part of this panel, but earlier this month, the PCB removed them and the captain, reducing the committee to five members.

The selection committee includes Aqib Javed, Aleem Dar, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, and Hassan Cheema.

Saman Siddiqui

I am a freelance journalist with a Master’s Degree in Mass Communication and an MS in Peace and Conflict Studies. Since 2006, I have been involved in various capacities within the electronic media industry. At OyeYeah, I cover diverse genres ranging from journalism and fiction to fashion, including reviews and fact-finding reports.

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