‘The Players Involved Must be Punished’: Ahmad Shahzad Calls for Strict Crackdown on Factions After Gary Kirsten Leaked Locker Room Speech

The drama never seizes to end in Pakistan cricket and the latest after the team’s premature exit from the T20 World Cup on the back of a shocking loss to the USA and then to India, newly appointed coach Gary Kirsten’s alleged locker room speech which was leaked by the Pakistan media, has put Pakistan players in scrutiny further.

Kirsten was appointed Pakistan head coach in April and after Pakistan’s exit from the T20 World Cup, he had raised concerns over the team’s unity. He had said, “There’s no unity in Pakistan’s team. They call it a team, but it isn’t a team. They aren’t supporting each other; everyone is separated, left and right. I’ve worked with many teams, but I’ve never seen such a situation”.

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The quotes were first attributed to Kirsten speaking at a press conference, but it was later known that it was the conversation he had with the team and the Pakistan media leaked it. But the damage was already done and Kirsten’s remark became fodder for the already hyper-charged band of disgruntled former Pakistan cricketers to train their guns further at Pakistan skipper Babar Azam.

For PAK opener, Ahmad Shahzad has been one of the vocal critics of Azam and the team and in his capacity as a cricket analyst in one of the shows in Pakistan he had even gone to the extent of accusing the current Pak skipper of taking his ‘friends’ to a ‘trip to America’. He had on multiple occasions highlighted about the factions with the Pakistan team reacting to Kirsten’s comment underlining the fact that it is something he had known all along.

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Taking to X (formerly Twitter) the 32-year-old wrote, “If Gary Kirsten’s team talk is true, it’s not shocking at all. We have been saying this throughout the World Cup. It’s time for accountability, this team is plagued with grouping and crackdown is the only option”.

He went on to suggest that it is high time action is taken against players indulging in groupsism and should be punished to set an example for the next generation of cricketers and urged PCB to take notice.

“The players involved must be punished and an example should be set for the next generation of cricketers. PCB chairman must take notice,” Shahzad added.

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