The short format contingent of Pakistan’s national team has been instructed by Test coach Jason Gillespie to “be aggressive and take on all opposition” at the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in the US and the Caribbean, with the reminder that they have nothing to lose.
In a Monday interview with DawnNews, Gillespie stated, “We know in T20, there can be one outstanding performance [that] can be the difference between a win and a loss. Because talent is there, make sure that they have that belief.”
Last month, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) named former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie and former South Africa top-order batter Gary Kirsten as the men’s national team’s white and red-ball head coaches, respectively.
In a press statement, PCB stated that Gillespie would take over for the ICC World Test Championship matches against Bangladesh (which would take place at home in August), England (which would take place at home in October), and South Africa (which would take place away in December).
But in the Dawn News interview, he emphasized the significance of “key moments” that were critical in the condensed format and noted that Pakistan has players who need to perform in certain situations.
“The entire dynamic of a Twenty20 match can be altered by a single pivotal moment in the game, a significant over from the bowling perspective, or a few wickets in an over from the batting perspective,” the player stated.
Regarding the team’s prospects, the Test coach stated that Pakistan may have a “real impact” at the World Cup and that their preparation and planning were “really good.”
He declared, “I think the team will be well-prepared going into the tournament in America and the Caribbean. It’s excellent work.”
He expressed his excitement at seeing captain Babar Azam and his group succeed.
Regarding the Test team, Gillespie stated that rather than trying to emulate someone else, he wants the group to play high-caliber cricket that comes easily to them.
“I really want Pakistan to be authentic to Pakistan, but we hear England play a brand of cricket called Bazball that has been talked about in the media,” he stated.
He stated, “I want teams to be looking to us [and] trying to play like the Pakistani team does,” although he acknowledged that there was still more work to be done before teams could start modeling themselves after them.
The head coach of the Test team commented on the team’s unpredictable nature, saying that Pakistan might “wipe the floor with you and run all over you” given their skill set.
He stated, “Talent [… skills are all there; the task is to apply them and play positive, interesting cricket.”
