Pakistan’s Test coach Jason Gillespie has advised the national team’s short format contingent to “be aggressive and take on all opposition” at the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in the US and the Caribbean, reminding them that they have nothing to lose.
“Because talent is there [so] make sure that they have that belief because we know in T20, there can be one outstanding performance [that] can be the difference between a win and a loss,” Gillespie said in an interview with DawnNews on Monday.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed former South Africa top-order batter Gary Kirsten and ex-Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie last month as the head coaches for the men’s national team for white and red-ball, respectively.
Gillespie would assume responsibilities for the ICC World Test Championship fixtures against Bangladesh (at home in August), which would be followed by Tests against England (at home in October) and South Africa (away in December) in the 2024-25 season, PCB said in a press release.
In the interview with Dawn News, however, he emphasised the importance of “key moments” that were crucial in the shorter format, adding that Pakistan have players to execute in such moments.
“One key moment in a game, one big over from a batting point of view, a couple of wickets in an over from the bowling point of view can really change the whole dynamic of a T20 game,” he said.
While speaking of the chances of the side, the Test coach said that Pakistan can have a “real impact” in the World Cup, adding that the team’s planning and preparation was “really good”.
“I think it’s outstanding preparation and I think it will hold the team in good stead going into the tournament in America and the Caribbean,” he said.
He said he was excited to watch skipper Babar Azam and his team do well.
Talking about the Test team, Gillespie said he wanted the side to play good quality cricket that comes naturally to the team rather than following someone else’s model.
“We hear England play a brand of cricket called Bazball which has been spoken about in the media, but I really want Pakistan to be authentic to Pakistan,” he said.
“I want teams to be looking to us […] trying to play like the Pakistan team does,” he said, adding that a lot of work needed to be done to get to the point where teams emulate them.
On the team’s unpredictability, the Test head coach said that Pakistan, with the skills that they have, could “wipe the floor with you and run all over you”.
“Talent […] skills are all there,” he said adding that the task was to apply them and play positive and interesting cricket.
