After a demoralizing defeat against co-hosts USA, Pakistan coach Gary Kirsten said his side will not lack motivation against arch-rivals India in the crucial T20 World Cup match coming up. Following a debacle of an opening game against USA falling to defeat on the very last ball of the Super Over, Pakistan, who were finalists in the last edition, will take on India on a wicket that has so far not been conducive to batsmen at the Nassau County stadium.
Speaking to reporters just before his side faced India, Kirsten had this to say: "It's a big game India (versus) Pakistan, there's no need for me to motivate the team anymore. They are well-motivated, they are focused for this game."
He urged his team to put the recent defeat behind them and focus on the task at hand, asserting, “We have to forget about the last couple of days and just move forward, that's the only way you can deal with life. Results are results (and they) take care of themselves."
While India has been acclimatizing in New York and has already played two matches, including a warm-up game against Bangladesh, Pakistan will be making their debut appearance at the Nassau County stadium in this tournament. Kirsten dismissed the notion of this being an advantage for India, stating, “We were going to go out there and make sure we do the best that we can with our skill sets and how we can put pressure on the opposition.”
Talking about the uniqueness of this India-Pakistan fixture, Kirsten recognized that this game will be similar to the matches never held either in India or Pakistan. However, he did not give much importance to his coaching experience regarding these Indian players, and instead asked the team to remain focused on its own game plan and acclimatize with the conditions.
Focusing on a collective stand by his team, Kirsten emphasized the importance of unity and teamwork. He recognized that the results have been disappointing off late but sounded positive for the future and ahead of the game that awaits.
"I'm not sure because I can't predict what's going to happen. I don't know whether it'll be an advantage," he added.
Acknowledging the strength of the Pakistani pace bowling attack as a strong suit on an obviously difficult pitch, Kirsten emphasized that a well-balanced side with choices in bowling illustration of a reasonably good seam and spin combination backed by strong batting was important.
