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Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali opened up to Gary Kirsten's resignation as head coach of the white ball team. Less than six months after being hired on a two-year contract by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in April 2024, Kirsten resigned as head coach of Pakistan's ODI and T20I teams. Kirsten has not led the team in an ODI, a format in which he had previously had significant coaching success, and his departure comes only days before Pakistan's forthcoming ODI series in Australia. According to Basit, Mohsin Naqvi, the head of the PCB, is a strong man, and anyone who speaks up would be sidelined.
"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," Basit said on his YouTube channel.
The PCB released a statement stating that the resignation has been accepted by the Pakistan Cricket Board, on October 28 (Monday). The team will be coached by Jason Gillespie for the Australia tour in November.
Basit said that Kirsten wanted a different captain than Rizwan
Basit noted that the dispute started when Mohammad Rizwan took over as Pakistan's white-ball captain in lieu of Babar Azam because Kirsten wanted someone else.
"The story started when Mohammad Rizwan was named Pakistan's new white-ball captain. 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, said Basit Ali
At a special press conference on October 27, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) named Mohammad Rizwan the team's new ODI and T20I captain. The news was made at a press conference in Lahore on Sunday by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also named all-rounder Salman Ali Agha as the team's new vice-captain. Babar Azam, who had previously resigned as the team's limited-overs cricket captain, handed the reins to Rizwan.
