Pybus tears into Pakistan
By Pranav Soneji
Pakistan coach Richard Pybus has launched a scathing attack
on the state of Pakistani cricket after their lacklustre
performance at the World Cup.
Pybus, whose contract as
national coach comes to an end
after the tournament in South
Africa, told this website the
structure of Pakistani cricket
needs to be radically overhauled.
"The players that are coming
through are not equipped to deal
with international cricket," said
the 42-year-old.
"They are not fit enough and they
have technical flaws which are
exposed whenever they go
outside the sub-continent.
"They lack cricketing awareness and the motivation to want to get
better.
"The talent is there, but it does not win you cricket matches alone.
Every country has talent, it is what you do with it that counts.
"It is things like the quality of coaching, the competitive edge and
fitness that breeds hard and tough cricketers."
Waqar Younis' side endured
a miserable World Cup
campaign - their only
victories coming against
minnows Namibia and the Netherlands.
And Pybus blamed the failure on Pakistan's cricket
culture, which has failed to embrace modern techniques
adopted by the leading nations.
"Pakistan are four of five years behind the rest of the
major teams," he said.
"When I asked for a team analyst, I was told: 'What do
you need an analyst for?' They thought I was wasting
money.
"I compare cricket strategy as like going to war. While
the other side have satellite and radars, we are going in
with a compass.
"Teams have outfought and
outplayed Pakistan, they know
exactly where to bowl, what each
player's strengths and weaknesses
are.
"The younger players are very
positive, they are using the new
technology to improve their game,
but it's not part of the Pakistani
culture.
"They are going to get further and further behind the
rest of the world."
The Pakistani Cricket Board (PCB) immediately opened
an investigation into why the team's performance was so
poor in South Africa.
But Pybus will be submitting his version of events in a
detailed report, rather than face the three-member
panel in Pakistan.
The South Africa based Englishman said he is now
looking forward to spending quality time with his
daughter and girlfriend after six months away from
home.