Twice now, Pakistan have had victories firmly within reach before having them cruelly snatched away in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. The first time was in dramatic Super Over circumstances against the USA, before the side ‘let it slip’ with the bat trying to chase a more-than-gettable total against arch-rivals India.
The narrow margins have cost Gary Kirsten’s team, which could very easily be two from two and more-than-likely confirmed starters in the second round. Instead the team now finds itself in a desperate situation to avoid a first round exit, with themselves to blame.
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“(We) let it slip at the end. Some maybe not-so-great decision making when you’ve got the game on, it’s (at) a run-a-ball, eight wickets in hand, (it was) decision making at that point and that’s the game. I think we had the game at 76/2, with six or seven overs left at that point, so (it’s) disappointing not to get across the line from the position we got ourselves into,” Kirsten admitted, after his side suffered a six-run loss to India in New York.
Kirsten said his staff will be ‘looking into the issues’, as they attempt to dust themselves off before taking on Canada in New York on Wednesday. Pakistan must win their two remaining Group A matches to stand any chance of progressing. The group will be aiming to correct the ‘lapses’ that have proven costly.
“We probably gave away 10 or 15 runs at the end that we shouldn’t have. Those small, little attention to details can make a massive difference. We had that game for 35 of the 40 overs,” Kirsten said.
Kirsten, who took over Pakistan’s limited-overs coaching job very recently has almost immediately found himself facing adversity. The former South Africa opener has challenged his players to help solve what’s ailed them.
“These guys are all international players and they’re aware that when they’re not performing at their best that there’s going to be pressure put on them.”
“A lot of these guys have played a lot of T20 cricket around the world over many, many years and it’s really up to them to decide how they’re going to take their games forward. So, if you’re not up to it and you’re not improving, you’re going to get found out somewhere,” he said.
The 2011 ODI World Cup-winning former India coach, is still hopeful of Pakistan’s chances to advance to the Super Eight stage. After the two losses, the 2022 T20 World Cup finalists will need either India or USA, the two teams that have now beaten them, to falter. That’s on top of
taking care of their own business – beating Canada on Wednesday and then Ireland on June 17.
“We’ve still got a chance in the tournament. We’re still hopeful that things can play (into) our hands. We’ve got to play a lot better cricket than what we are playing,” Kirsten said.
