Leading power-hitting coach of Australia, Shannon Young, expressed his views on criticism of Pakistani cricketers, addressing the intense backlash they were facing from the fans after their performance at the T20 World Cup.
He emphasized the need for more support rather than criticism for players like Babar Azam, whom he considers a world-class batter.
Young praised Babar Azam, stating, “He is well, he is a world-class player.” He highlighted that if a player of Babar’s caliber we in Australia, they would receive substantial support instead of criticism.
“In Australia, we back them in and we say they’ve been world-class players, they’re gonna be world-class players again.” he stated further.
Young acknowledged the high expectations placed on Pakistani cricketers, attributing it to the country’s fervent passion for the sport. “I think sometimes the passion tips over that these guys carry so much expectation through Pakistan’s one of the best players in the world, he’s gonna be fine,” he added.
Additionally, Young discussed his visit to Pakistan and his plans to bring high-performance Australian cricketers and younger players for tours next year. “We’re hoping that maybe April. Previously, I’ve always wanted to come to Pakistan, so I got the opportunity and I knew really early on that Australians would love Pakistan. So we’re gonna bring hopefully a couple of tours to play cricket here,” he expressed.
Earlier today, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the schedule for the men’s 2024-25 international cricket season where they will play 9 Tests, 9 T20Is and 12 ODIs after their disastrous T20 World Cup campaign.