Mitchell McClenaghan destroys Pakistani journalist for accusing New Zealand stars of preferring IPL money over national duty

Former Kiwi pacer Mitchell McClenaghan clapped back at a Pakistani journalist who targeted the New Zealand team for potentially exiting the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. 

New Zealand, who were runners-up in the T20 WC 2021 edition, got all but knocked out from the group stage of the 2024 edition itself. The Kiwis are yet to win a single game in the ongoing edition in the USA and the West Indies. They are placed in the same group as co-hosts Windies followed by Afghanistan and minnows Uganda and Papua New Guinea. 

The Blackcaps started the tournament with an embarrassing and unexpected loss to Afghanistan. Earlier today, the West Indies handed New Zealand their 2nd defeat on the trot and Kane Williamson's road to the Super Eights became much more difficult with that.

They will now face Uganda and PNG in their final group games with their qualification also depending upon the result of the Windies Vs Afghanistan game. 

What happened between Mitchell McClenaghan and the Pakistani journalist? 

After New Zealand's exit from the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 was confirmed following their loss to West Indies, a Pakistani Journalist made fun of the team. The Journalist, who is named Imran Siddique, targeted the Blackcaps not only because they have been kicked out of the tournament but because of what their senior players had done a few months ago. 

The Pakistani Journalist feels that the senior Kiwi players didn't prepare well for the T20 World Cup by appearing in the Indian Premier League. Earlier in April 2024 when IPL's first leg was underway, New Zealand had an away tour of Pakistan for the T20I series. With most of the senior players playing in the Premier League, the Kiwis had sent an almost third-string team. 

The squad sent by the New Zealand Cricket was not trusted to win against Pakistan in Pakistan but the reality was way different. The young and inexperienced team returned home after playing out a 2-2 draw against the Green Army, which is quite a remarkable achievement. 

Since then, the Kiwi senior team hadn't played a single game together and the outcome of that - is a possible group-stage exit from an ICC tournament. In that context, the Pakistani journalist claimed that New Zealand paid the price for not sending their senior players for the tour of Pakistan in April. 

Siddique stated that New Zealand's players would have had a better preparation if they had gone to Pakistan for the T20I series. The journalist even alleged the Kiwi players of preferring money over national duty. 

Mitchell McClenaghan responds

Former pacer Mitchell McClenaghan responded to the tweet made by Imran Siddique and told the latter that his views on New Zealand's exit are poor. The former left-arm seamer also reminded the journalist about Pakistan's loss to their C team as well as Ireland in a 3-match series and then against the USA in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. "Very poor take. You lost games to our C side, Ireland and the USA," he replied.

Very poor take.

You lost games to our C side, Ireland and the USA https://t.co/jfHQl2b0Xa

— Mitchell McClenaghan (@Mitch_Savage) June 13, 2024