Former New Zealand pacer and MI Emirates head coach Shane Bond revealed his coaching philosophy, saying that he always tries to bring the best out of his players and seeks honest feedback on his work style.
MI Emirates will next face Gulf Giants in the ongoing ILT20 on Wednesday, and they will look to build on their 157-run win over Desert Vipers on Sunday.
MI Emirates head coach, while appreciating the boys' efforts, stated that they must play with the same consistency in the remaining three games to remain in the title race.
"It was a fantastic performance against the Desert Vipers, and I've been saying since the beginning of the tournament that the team is capable of winning it. We simply need to turn up the heat and win the big moments, as well as make some good decisions and follow through on them "Bond stated in a press release.
"We played the top team, put in our best performance, and now we play the second team on the competition list, and if we win that game, we are decently in for a top-2 finish," he added.
In elaborating on his coaching philosophy, the 47-year-old Kiwi stated that he always strives to bring out the best in his players.
"My job is to always bring out the best in the players, to be consistent, and to improve with each game. Those things never change and have been the same since the beginning.
The most difficult thing for the players is to receive honest feedback. It can be difficult for a coach, so the only way to improve as a coach is to approach the players during any competition and start a conversation about what I can do to improve "He stated.
Bond heaped praise on MI Emirates skipper Kieron Pollard, who has been in red-hot form with the bat throughout the tournament, saying the best part about having Pollard as the side's leader is that he also understands the role of a coach, as the Trinidadian is in a transition phase.
"Coaching and playing are very different things. The playing career behind you earns you respect from younger players for the type of player you were, but my job as a coach is to make my players better "said the coach.
"It's no longer about me, but about getting the most out of your player. You have Dwayne (Bravo) and (Kieron) Pollard, who are in transition and clearly understand their roles. Polly has been instrumental in the team's success "He went on to say.
The 47-year-old is also pleased to see that the talent pool in associate nations is expanding as a result of T20 leagues, and that as a result, associate nations have been able to cause major upsets at the World Cup.
"This tournament is fantastic because it allows both associate and local players to participate. Being a part of the squads allows you to contribute to the depth of those small nations "Bond stated.
"We have four very good players who have performed admirably in franchise cricket. Muhammed Waseem is a very good player, and Zahoor Khan, a mainstay of the UAE national team, is bowling well for us. We're fortunate to have Robin Singh, who works with the UAE team and has a relationship with them that makes things easier for us.
It's fantastic for them to be able to bat alongside Kieron Pollard or Nicholas Pooran, or to open the bowling with Trent Boult "He came to a conclusion.