AB de Villiers: “I just want to say one thing, prepare to see a more polished Pakistan. Prepare to see some players lift themselves to the top”
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Legendary South Africa batsman AB de Villiers believes people should “prepare to see a more polished Pakistan” under new limited overs head coach Gary Kirsten.
Kirsten was appointed to the role in April 2024, while former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie was named Pakistan’s head coach in Test cricket.
Under Kirsten’s leadership, De Villiers expects the men in green to become “a very competitive team in white-ball cricket” and hopes to see them advance to the latter stages of the 2024 T20 World Cup.
“I just want to say one thing, prepare to see a more polished Pakistan. Prepare to see some players lift themselves to the top. Those who will show themselves on the world stage and take the game to the next level,” he said on his YouTube channel as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.
“Pakistan will emerge as a very competitive team in white-ball cricket. I hope they will be knocking the doors in the knockout stages in the T20 World Cup.”
The Pakistan team recently played a five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which ended as a 2-2 draw.
They then played three T20Is against Ireland, which they ended up winning 2-1.
Next up for Pakistan will be a four-match T20I series against England from May 22 to May 30.
After that, they will be involved in the T20 World Cup, which will take place in the West Indies and United States of America from June 1 to 29.
Pakistan’s first T20 World Cup game will be against the United States of America in Dallas on June 6.
Pakistan Squad for Ireland and England T20I Series: Babar Azam (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan