PAK vs NED: Shubman Gill Smashing Shaheen Shah Afridi Hurt Pakistan Emotinally: Pakistan Head Coach Grant Bradburn's Shocking Confession

Pakistan men’s team head coach Grant Bradburn opened up about the team’s struggles in the Asia Cup 2023. Grant Bradburn expressed disappointment with the team’s performance in the Asia Cup, stating that they failed to adapt to the challenging conditions in Sri Lanka.

The Babar Azam-led team failed to advance to the final of the continental tournament after suffering defeats against India and Pakistan in the Super Four stages. Furthermore, the Men in Green lost both of their warm-up matches for the ICC World Cup 2023 in Hyderabad.

It Was Disappointing For Us As A Group – Grant Bradburn

When asked about Shubman Gill’s aggressive approach against Shaheen Afridi that led to the team’s collapse, Grant Bradburn described the team’s struggles as a significant learning experience for them.

“It was a huge learning for us. It was emotional, it was disappointing for us as a group because we were playing some good cricket in parts. We did struggle at Premadasa particularly as a venue. We struggled to adapt to those conditions. We had a couple of periods there,” Grant Bradburn told Cricbuzz.

“There was a game against India where we didn’t play well in all aspects but we had one half of the game against Sri Lanka that we didn’t play well I guess, or over a period of game. That was enough for us to not make the final and that appeared to be a disaster which it was not for us. Our style is to criticize every performance whether we win or lose. We take a lot of confidence in the way we played.”

We Were Able To Give Opportunities To A Lot Of Players – Grant Bradburn

Bradburn emphasized that team management provided opportunities to players in various positions. He said that the middle order, which was once a weak point, has significantly improved.

“From the New Zealand series in April right till the Afghanistan series, we were able to give opportunities to a lot of players in different positions. Our ultimate goal is to prove that we can win in multiple ways, not just rely on our pace attack. Our pace attack is full of fantastic skills, but we’ve also worked hard on our middle order.”

“That’s gone under the radar a little bit. We were renowned as a team that didn’t have a middle order but now we have. And we have multiple contenders for those positions, so we are pleased. That part of the game has given us a lot of confidence. That’s through giving opportunities and belief to our players.”

The former New Zealand all-rounder was named the head of the team in May of this year. Bradburn will be a part of the coaching staff until the T20 World Cup in 2024. He also served as Pakistan’s fielding coach for three years before resigning in October 2021.

Also read: IND vs PAK: Grant Bradburn Speaks On Pakistan’s Disappointing 228-Run Loss Against India In Asia Cup 2023, Says ‘We’re Grateful To India For This Gift…’