Out of favor Pakistan batter Ahmad Shahzad has reacted to Pakistan head coach Gary Kirsten’s alleged statement that there is no unity in the Pakistan team. Ahmad asked the PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi to take notice and punish the involved players.

Kirsten was appointed Pakistan head coach in April and after Pakistan’s exit from the T20 World Cup 2024, he had raised concerns over the team’s unity.

“There’s no unity in Pakistan’s team. They call it a team, but it isn’t a team. They aren’t supporting each other; everyone is separated, left and right. I’ve worked with many teams, but I’ve never seen such a situation,” Kirsten was quoted as saying by Geo News.

The statements were initially ascribed to Kirsten speaking at a news conference, but it was later discovered that they were from a chat he had with the team, which was leaked by the Pakistani media.

However, the damage had already been done, and Kirsten's remark served as a grist for the already enraged group of dissatisfied former Pakistan cricketers to fire their guns even further on Pakistan captain Babar Azam.

Ahmad Shahzad has been a loud critic of Azam and the team, and as a cricket expert on one of Pakistan's shows, he has even accused the current Pakistan captain of bringing his 'friends' on a 'tour to America'.  

He had mentioned the factions on several occasions, and the Pakistan team responded to Kirsten's comment by emphasizing that it was something he had known all along.

“If Gary Kirsten’s team talk is true, it’s not shocking at all. We have been saying this throughout the World Cup. It’s time for accountability, this team is plagued with grouping and crackdown is the only option. The players involved must be punished and an example should be set for next generation of cricketers. PCB chairman must take notice,” Shahzad posted on X.