After huge criticism about the team’s recent results, the leader of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Mohsin Naqvi, has said they will make big changes to help the cricket team play better. Naqvi talked about these changes with other important people at the PCB and the coaches of the team that plays with a white ball and the one that plays with a red ball – Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie. Naqvi also said that Kirsten and Gillespie will work with the people who choose the team, along with past players Mohammad Yousuf and Asad Shafiq, and the current captains of both the white-ball and red-ball teams.
There have been stories about a famous fast bowler, Shaheen Afridi, not being respectful to coach Gary Kirsten. Naqvi said that any player who breaks the rules will be dealt with strictly. He also told the players not to form groups within the team.
The PCB has made fitness a key part of the selection process and said that players will need to take tests every three months.
“Discipline is very important and there will be no tolerance for players who break the rules. The team needs to be united and agree on things. We won’t allow players to form groups. Management must take strong action against this. Players who don’t follow the rules won’t be part of the team. I won’t recommend any player who breaks the rules,” Naqvi said in a statement from the PCB.
Naqvi also promised that Kirsten and Gillespie will have full support from the board to help improve the national team.
Naqvi promised that both Kirsten and Gillespie will have full freedom from the board to help improve the national team.
“Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie have complete authority. I trust them fully. They have been given the freedom to make decisions. I hope they will achieve great results,” he said.
It was also agreed that when reviewing player requests to get NOCs to play in foreign leagues, strict technical rules would be applied, focusing on making sure the player is fit and available for the national team.
“Only players who meet high fitness and performance standards will get NOCs, ensuring a strong representation in international leagues,” the official explained.
It was also decided in the meeting that all players must play in domestic cricket and selectors have been instructed to check this before choosing any player for the national teams.
The person in charge mentioned that all the people at the meeting agreed that there should be no leniency when it comes to discipline issues. Any player who forms groups will face serious consequences to maintain team harmony and spirit.
There are also plans to improve the high-performance centers across the country to support the development of cricket at the local level.
New centers in Islamabad and Peshawar will be created, and Gillespie and Kirsten will be responsible for managing these projects.
