Pakistan’s Coach Expresses Disappointment, India’s Bumrah Praises Bowling Unit
On June 10th, 2024, Pakistan’s coach Gary Kirsten expressed his disappointment over his team’s defeat, despite having the game under control for the majority of the match. Meanwhile, Player of the Match Jasprit Bumrah commended the calmness and composure displayed by India’s bowling unit, even as the conditions became more batting-friendly.
Kirsten acknowledged that the target of 120 runs was not an easy one, but he felt that Pakistan had the game in their grasp when they were 72/2 with six or seven overs remaining. However, he attributed the loss to poor decision-making at crucial moments.
“Maybe not so great decision making. You have got the game on, run a ball, eight wickets in hand, decision making at that point. That’s the game. That’s international cricket for you. You make mistakes like that, you are going to pay,” he said.
Bumrah, on the other hand, praised his team’s ability to maintain their composure despite the changing conditions.
“The biggest positive for us was the calmness because when we were batting in the morning, there was a lot more help. And when we started bowling, the skies cleared up and the ball stopped seaming and there wasn’t a lot of lateral movement. So, we had to be more consistent and more accurate and we as a unit were very calm and very clear on what we wanted to do,” he said.
The India pacer also emphasized the importance of staying focused and not getting caught up in the emotions of the game.
“If I look at the outside noise, if I look at people and pressure and emotion takes over, then things don’t really work for me. So, I was trying to do that, trying to create my own bubble, and trying to focus on that and try to put my best foot forward,” Bumrah explained.
Kirsten acknowledged that Pakistan’s chances of making it to the Super 8s now depend on the results of other teams, but he also knows that his team needs to improve significantly to have a realistic chance of progressing.
“It wasn’t a small total on that wicket. It was a good total. We knew that. But we have still got a chance in this tournament. We are still hopeful that things can play into our hands. Obviously we have got to play a lot better cricket than we are playing,” he said.
The coach also emphasized the need for more time to understand and get the best out of the players, as he has only been with the team for 12 days.
“Everyone’s responsible. We accept the loss and we take the heat because the team has not done well. And we will do what we can to try and rectify it,” Kirsten added.
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