Pakistan’s Cricket Board (PCB) has landed in yet another controversy as former head coach of Red Ball Jason Gillespie He added another sensational revelation from his stint. Gillespie accused PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi of zero interest in key team building sessions.
The former head coach revealed that both he and Pakistani whiteball coach Gary Kirsten had made serious efforts to attend and contribute to an important team bonding exercise called “Connection Camp,” but the PCB chief showed no interest.
Jason Gillespie reveals the absence of Pakistan Cricket Committee chair from a critical “connection camp”
The Australian said the session was designed to build trust and unity between players and coaching staff. Gillespie further argued that despite the importance of camp and the dedication shown by both head coaches, Naqvi was absent both from a physical and involvement standpoint.
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Get a sharp swipe Mohs naqviGillespie said he flew from Australia and Gary Kirsten from South Africa for the “Connection Camp,” but the PCB chairman only joined on Zoom despite being in Lahore. The former Red Ball head coach noted that the lack of involvement of the PCB Chairman sent a disappointing message to the national team and support staff.
“Gary came up with this great idea of connecting camp. Everyone in Pakistani cricket essentially shared their experiences at that meeting. I flew off from Australia,” Jason Gillespie told a podcast.
That was a bit unusual: Jason Gillespie
He said it was strange that Naqvi couldn’t make a 20-minute drive and others couldn’t travel across the continent to attend “connected camps.” Gillespie said, “He is based in Lahore, but he didn’t come while he came from Africa. We both felt that the chairman couldn’t even drive for 20 minutes to come here. That was a bit unusual.”
In particular, the Pakistan Cricket Committee held a special camp on September 23, 2024 with the aim of improving communication, teamwork and overall performance within the national team.
Top players like Babar AzamFakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shadab Khan and Shan Masood participated in the session.
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Pakistan Cricket Committee plans a try series with Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates amid uncertainty of the Asian Cup 2025
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Committee has begun to consider backup plans as uncertainty increases Asian Cup 2025. India is scheduled to hold an ACC event in September, but faces uncertainty following terrorist attacks in Kashmir and rising political tensions between India and Pakistan.
With India holding the event, Pakistan was already planning to play on neutral grounds under the hybrid model agreed by the ACC. However, although there have been no words from the BCCI before, the PCB is currently in talks with the Afghan Cricket Board (ACB) and organising the United Arab Emirates as its host. This plan will only move forward if the Asian Cup 2025 is officially cancelled.
Also Read: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi handed the verdict “beyond T20I careers” by the Pakistan Cricket Committee