Babar Azam greets Gary Kirsten with warm hug ahead of England T20Is

Former South Africa cricketer Gary Kirsten was recently announced as the head coach of Pakistan’s white-ball team. The 56-year-old joined up with the side in England ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024 as Pakistan will be taking on England in a three-match T20I series before the WC.

Kirsten arrived in Leeds before the first T20I to be held at Headingley on Wednesday, May 22. Upon his arrival, the 2011 World Cup-winning coach was greeted by Pakistan skipper Babar Azam, men's assistant coach Azhar Mahmood, and team manager Wahab Riaz.

In the clip that has been going viral all over social media, Babar was seen with a broad smile on his face as he welcomed Kirsten. Earlier, Pakistan brought in a change to their coaching staff after naming Kirsten and Jason Gillespie as their white-ball and red-ball coaches, respectively.

It is worth noting that earlier in May 2024, Pakistan defeated Ireland 1-2 and will now aim to find their feet in England as they take on the side in a three-game T20I series. The series will also help them in their build-up to the 2024 T20 World Cup.

I'm truly excited to embark on this new journey: Kirsten

With his appointment, Kirsten came forward to talk about how excited he was to lead Pakistan. He highlighted how big of an honour it is to lead such a dynamic group of players going into the T20 World Cup 2024. 

“I'm truly excited to embark on this new journey with the Pakistan men’s cricket team. It's an honor to coach such a talented and dynamic team, and I’m eager to contribute to their success on the international stage,” Kirsten was quoted as saying by IndiaToday.

“These are indeed thrilling times for Pakistan cricket, with a new administration and players who are driven to deliver solid results. The upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 presents a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase our skills and uphold Pakistan's legacy as a formidable force in cricket,” he added.