ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday announced it had roped in Gary Kirsten as the national squad’s new head coach for limited-overs cricket and Jason Gillespie for the Test format, with less than two months to go before the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 kicks off in the West Indies and USA.
Pakistan were without head coaches for both formats of the game after former team director Mickey Arthur and coaches Grant Bradburn and Andrew Puttick were transferred to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore after a change in their portfolios in November 2023.
The trio left their respective positions in January this year, months after Pakistan’s abysmal performance in last year’s 50-over World Cup in India.
“The three appointments have been made for a two-year period following a recruitment process,” the PCB said in a statement, adding that former cricketer Azhar Mahmood has been confirmed as assistant coach in all three formats of the game.
“I extend my congratulations to Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten on their appointments as the red and white-ball head coaches of the Pakistan men’s cricket team, respectively,” PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said at a news conference on Sunday.
“Their stellar track records precede them, and I warmly welcome them to the Pakistan cricket family.”
Kirsten, 56, is a former South African top-order batter who played 101 Test matches and 185 ODIs from 1993-2004 in which he scored a total of 14,087 runs and 34 centuries.
The 56-year-old former South Africa top-order batter played 101 Tests and 185 ODIs from 1993-2004 in which he accumulated a total of 14,087 runs with 34 centuries.
Kirsten coached India from 2008-2011 and helped them win the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2011 title and attain the number one position on the ICC Test Team Rankings.
He also coached South Africa men’s cricket team from 2011-2013 and inspired them to the number one position on the ICC Test Team Rankings.
Kirsten has coached Indian Premier League (IPL) teams Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and is presently the batting coach and mentor of Gujarat Titans, who won the 2022 IPL tournament.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be entrusted with the responsibility of coaching the Pakistan men’s national team in white-ball cricket and to rejoin the international cricket arena after some time,” Kirsten told PCB Digital.
“I eagerly anticipate this opportunity and aim to contribute positively to the Pakistan men’s national team in limited-overs cricket.”
Kirsten will take charge of the side immediately after completing his assignment in the IPL. During his tenure, besides the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and other bilateral white-ball series, Kirsten will also be in charge of the side for next year’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, ACC T20 Asia Cup 2025 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, former Australia fast bowler Gillespie will assume responsibilities for Pakistan’s ICC World Test Championship fixtures against Bangladesh (at home in August), which will be followed by Tests against England (at home in October) and South Africa (away in December) in the 2024-25 season.
“I am grateful to the PCB for their faith in my abilities and giving me the honor of coaching one of the most highly-regarded and talented cricket teams in the traditional format of the sport,” Gillespie told PCB Digital.
“Leading the Pakistan cricket team is a big achievement for any coach, given its rich legacy and passionate fan base.”
Gillespie said he wanted to win Tests for Pakistan, which is why he had taken up the coaching assignment.
“Within Pakistan we have a number of high-quality fast bowlers and being able to utilize them will be a key part of any success we enjoy,” Gillespie said.
“But we have quality in all departments – pace, spin, batting and keeping. We have all bases covered. It is exciting to know we have that talent and I am looking forward to working with such talented players.”
Gillespie, 49, has played 71 Tests, 97 ODIs and 1 T20I from 1996-2006. He has taken a total of 402 wickets and accumulated 1,531 runs. The former pacer was part of the Australia squad that won the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2003 in South Africa.
Gillespie has coached Yorkshire County Cricket Club to back-to-back County Championship titles in 2014 and 2015 and is credited with developing England stars Jonny Bairstow, Gary Ballance and Joe Root during his time with Yorkshire.
