'No Consistency': Kevin Pietersen Slams Pakistan Players Despite Claiming Their Talent is 'Unreal'

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has weighed in on the challenges facing Pakistan cricket. Following Pakistan’s disheartening defeat to England in Multan, former head coach Mickey Arthur addressed the team’s ongoing issues on X (formerly Twitter). Arthur pointed out that while the players possess skills, there is significant inconsistency in team selection.

In response to Arthur’s remarks, Pietersen shared insights from his experience in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). He noted, “From my time playing in the PSL, I’ve observed that the players don’t train properly, and there’s too much emotion tied to the outcomes of matches. With such inconsistency off the field, how can you expect it on the field? I agree that the talent is UNREAL.”

Kevin Pietersen’s strong words led to a swarm of responses on his post. A fan talked about how team unity was absent from the Pakistan squad at the moment. The former England international explained the lack of synchronisation within the team due to a ‘flawed’ system. He wrote, “Not going to happen when the system is flawed. The system is deep-rooted in poor training methods and high emotions that need improving, If they’re not changed, PAK won’t improve.” In another reply to a fan, Pietersen also emphasized how politics have led to adverse effects on the sport. “Politics always destroys sport! ALWAYS!” the ex-skipper wrote.

Pakistan have hit an all-time low across formats in cricket. They had an abysmal showing in the ODI World Cup 2023, in India. The Men in Green failed to crack the top four, crashing out of the tournament in the group phase. They endured a similar campaign in the 2024 T20 World Cup, failing to make it to the Super Eight phase after conceding defeats to arch-rivals India and the USA.

The team’s recent run in red-ball cricket has been no different. The Shan Masood-led side was humiliated on home soil by Bangladesh, losing the Test series 2-0. Despite a strong start in their first test against England, scoring 556 after batting first, the team faced an innings defeat. England, while batting, one-upped their performance by putting up 824 runs, the highest single-innings Test total this century. Pakistan eventually ended up losing the Multan Test by an innings and 47 runs.

With a revamped squad, Pakistan will now be looking to redeem themselves in the second test, beginning on October 15 at the Multan Cricket Stadium.