Watch: Gary Kirsten opens up on Pakistan national cricket team’s white-ball coaching ahead of Pakistan Super League 2026

Former Pakistan head coach Gary Kirsten has opened up about his short and difficult time with the national team, saying that too much interference from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was a major reason for his early departure.

Kirsten was appointed in April 2024 on a two-year contract but resigned after just six months as head coach of Pakistan’s ODI and T20I teams. His resignation came suddenly, just a week before Pakistan was scheduled to tour Australia for an ODI series.

The 2011 ODI World Cup-winning coach said, “I was the lowest-hanging fruit,” reflecting on a stint that started with hope but ended in frustration. His remarks highlight a bigger issue in Pakistan cricket: a system where coaches are always vulnerable due to unstable decision-making, unclear hierarchies, power struggles, and even challenges with the team captain.

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What Gary Kirsten said about Pakistan’s white-ball setup

"The thing that surprised me probably more than anything was the level of interference. I don't think I have ever seen it at that level before. Did it surprise me? I don't know, but it was significant," the former South Africa cricketer said on talkSPORT.

Kirsten added that a coach's job becomes difficult if there is "constant noise from outside".

Under Kirsten, Pakistan did not advance past the group stage in the 2024 T20 World Cup, which took place in the West Indies and the USA. The Babar Azam-led side earned just four points from as many matches, with two of their losses coming against India and the USA.

"It is quite difficult for a coach to come in and formulate a way to work with the players when there is just this constant noise from the outside. It was tough, just this constant noise from the outside, and a lot of punitive actions around poor performance and stuff like that.

"As a coach, you are the lowest-hanging fruit when the team isn't going well, so 'let us get rid of the coach or let us put a restriction on the coach,' because that is the easiest thing to do when the team isn't performing - and that is counterproductive in my view. Then why recruit the coach?" added the 58-year-old.

During Kirsten's time, Pakistan played only T20Is, focusing mainly on the T20 World Cup. They played nine T20Is, winning four and losing five, giving them a win percentage of just 44 under Kirsten.

See also -Gary Kirsten likely to quit as the white-ball coach of Pakistan

Changes in Pakistan national cricket team coaching ahead of PSL 2026

After the 2024 T20 World Cup, the Pakistan national cricket team saw several changes in its coaching staff. In October 2024, Gary Kirsten, the white-ball head coach, resigned after about six months due to disagreements with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and interference issues. Following his departure, Aaqib Javed took over as interim head coach in November 2024, managing the white-ball team temporarily and also handling some red-ball responsibilities.

On December 12, 2024, Jason Gillespie resigned from his role as Pakistan’s Test head coach. Later, on December 30, 2025, Azhar Mahmood, who had been acting as Test head coach, was released early by the PCB before the end of his contract, leaving the Test coaching position vacant. Meanwhile, on May 13, 2025, Mike Hesson was appointed as Pakistan’s limited-overs (ODI and T20) head coach, providing stability to the white-ball team after the departures of Kirsten and Javed. Looking ahead, in March 2026, Sarfaraz Ahmed, the former Pakistan captain, is expected to be appointed as the head coach of the Test team, filling the vacancy left after Mahmood’s exit.

Fans react to Gary Kirsten’s big revelation

Fans have reacted strongly to Gary Kirsten’s revelation about his brief stint as Pakistan’s white-ball coach, particularly his claims of excessive interference from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Many supporters expressed sympathy, saying his comments confirmed long-standing frustrations about the lack of stability and autonomy in Pakistan cricket.

Some wrote, "SLC is also like PCB. Kirsten is a scamster who has fooled too many teams." Another user commented, "They will never hold any player accountable, but always the coach."

Read all the fans’ comments below: