Gary Kirsten has stepped down as Pakistan’s head coach for the ODI and T20I teams
Gary Kirsten has resigned as the head coach of Pakistan’s ODI and T20I sides just six months into his two-year contract, which he signed with the PCB in April 2024. His departure comes amid growing tensions between the coaching staff and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). ESPNcricinfo reports that an official announcement confirming Kirsten’s resignation is expected soon.
The primary cause of the rift was the PCB’s decision to remove the selection powers from the coaching staff, transferring that authority to a selection committee. Kirsten and his fellow coach Jason Gillespie were reportedly unhappy with this shift in responsibilities. Gillespie, in particular, had publicly expressed his discontent during Pakistan’s third Test against England in Rawalpindi, stating that he felt reduced to a mere “match-day analyst.” He added that the current role wasn’t what he had signed up for when he joined Pakistan’s coaching setup.
The growing friction between the coaching staff and the PCB over such changes in authority seems to have culminated in Kirsten’s resignation, leaving Pakistan in need of a new head coach for their white-ball teams.