Asked whether things look any different on the other side of the border, Kirsten smiled.“I have been in charge for 13 days, but the frenzy seems the same from both sides. It’s great to be associated with both these teams,” Kirsten, who was the Gujarat Titans batting coach in the IPL, said.
Could his knowledge of Indian players be an advantage for Pakistan? Kirsten isn’t too sure. “I think these players have seen enough of each other and it is a matter of getting their games right,” he said.
When India beat Pakistan in that 2011 ODI World Cup semifinal in Mohali – one of India’s most memorable wins – there was an explosion of euphoria. The former South African opener feels the vibe is similar among fans, just that the game not being played in India or Pakistan makes it slightly different.
“It’s a new venue. It does feel good when people come out to support us here,” the coach said.
Kirsten tried to play down talk of whether India would have an advantage going into the game, especially since they have been here for 14 days. “It’s just a bowling-friendly pitch,” he said, adding that he wants his team to forget what happened a couple of days ago in Dallas. Pakistan lost that game to USA in the Super Over and now find themselves in a must-win situation.
“It’s never nice not to win a game. I don’t think I need to motivate this team for a game as big as this. Yes, we need individuals to come up with performances, but we are going to treat it as any other game. What happened two days ago is forgotten. We’ve to move on,” he said.
During the last T20 World Cup, Pakistan lost their game against Zimbabwe but went on to play the final. Kirsten didn’t want to dwell too much on the issue. “I don’t like to hop on history, rather we try to play the best cricket we can. With our skill sets, we can put pressure on the opposition.”
