NEW DELHI: Pakistan head coach Gary Kirsten has expressed his disappointment over his team's batting collapse in their T20 World Cup clash against India, leading to a six-run defeat and putting their tournament hopes in jeopardy.
The Babar Azam-led side, chasing a modest target of 120, crumbled from 80/4 in the 15th over to 113/7, consuming 59 dot balls in the process.
Kirsten, addressing the media after the match, highlighted the importance of strike rotation on challenging surfaces like the one at the Nassau County International Stadium. "I think certainly on a pitch like that, it is really, really important to be able to rotate the strike. Sometimes it's fun to watch a game like this where it's not only about hitting boundaries," he said.
The former South African cricketer emphasized that Pakistan's batsmen lost the plot after the 15th over. "We did well for 15 overs and then we lost the plot. We're losing too many wickets. Players have got to take responsibility when that opportunity comes," he added.
The coach acknowledged the immense pressure the players are under, especially after consecutive losses to debutants USA and arch-rivals India. "These guys are all international players and they're aware that when they're not performing at their best, there's going to be pressure put on them. That's understandable," Kirsten stated.
Missteps in Chase Strategy
Kirsten detailed the team's strategy during the chase, which was to capitalize on loose deliveries and rotate the strike effectively. However, he lamented the loss of momentum during the crucial phase of the innings. "We kept it at a run a ball for 15 overs, and then we lost wickets, stopped scoring ones, and started looking for boundaries. Once you've got to that point, it was always going to be hard," he explained.
Despite the batting woes, Kirsten praised the team's bowling performance, particularly in the death overs. "Our record between overs 10 to 20 as a bowling unit is up there with the best. We've got four fantastic seamers and Imad Wasim bowled really well today," he said.
Navigating Pitch Controversy
Kirsten refrained from criticizing the drop-in pitches at the Nassau stadium, which have drawn flak for inconsistent bounce. "I think it wasn't dangerous. The odd one rose up, but not many. Generally, it kept a little bit lower. It was difficult to score from both batting sides and also a fairly slow outfield," Kirsten noted. He added that a score of 140 would have been competitive on such a pitch.
1/9:T20 World Cup: Bumrah delivers as India beat Pakistan in low-scoring thriller
AFP
2/9:India beat Pakistan in New York
Jasprit Bumrah was the hero as India beat Pakistan by six runs in a low-scoring T20 World Cup thriller in New York on Sunday.AP
3/9:Bumrah's Heroics
India were bowled out by Pakistan for 119 in 19 overs. Defending the small total, Bumrah delivered crucial wickets and his 3-14 in four overs proved decisive as Pakistan fell just short ending on 113-7.ANI
4/9:Crowd Excitement
Despite a tricky batting surface that made batting difficult, a crowd of 34,028, a record attendance for an international cricket match in the USA, were given a tight contest that ebbed and flowed.AFP
5/9:Pakistan's Chase
Naseem Shah made a valiant effort, hitting the fourth and fifth balls of the last over for fours but India avoided any late drama to secure their second win of the tournament.ANI
6/9:Bumrah's Crucial Wickets
Bumrah picked up the vital wicket of Pakistan captain Babar Azam (13) and Mohammad Rizwan (31). Then, in the penultimate over, Bumrah conceded just three runs and removed Iftikhar Ahmed with his final ball.AP
7/9:Final Over Drama
<b>That left Pakistan needing 18 from the final over, a steep task on a difficult batting surface and it got more tricky when Arshdeep Singh dismissed Imad Wasim with the first ball.</b>AFP
8/9:Pakistan's Tough Loss
For Pakistan, their loss, coming after the shock defeat to the USA, leaves them without a point and with a lot of work to do against Canada and Ireland if they are to fight their way into the Super Eight stage.AP
9/9:Rain Interruption
Rain delayed the start of the game, played in front of a packed 34,000 fans, the majority of whom were backing tournament favourites India.AFPNext Steps and Future Outlook
Looking ahead, Kirsten emphasized the need for continual growth and adaptation in international cricket. "I'm having a look into the environment and looking at what the issues are. For every international player, it's important to continue growing and improving," he stressed.
Pakistan's next game is against Canada on Tuesday, a must-win encounter to keep their Super Eight hopes alive. Kirsten remains hopeful but realistic about the challenges ahead. "We need to win big against Canada and Ireland and hope for favorable results in other matches," he concluded.
(With inputs from PTI)
