India As White-Ball Benchmark
Pakistan Coach Mike Hesson Calls India the White-Ball Benchmark Ahead of Asian Games
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Key Points
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Hesson distinguished Pakistan’s formats, acknowledging that the Test team is struggling after a 3-0 series defeat to England, while arguing that the T20I side has posted the third- or fourth-best win percentage over the past 15 months.
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Hesson said Pakistan had improved from eighth to fifth in the world in T20I cricket, attributing the progress to winning series both at home and abroad rather than dismissing the team’s recent record as poor.
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Pakistan made a late squad change for the Asian Games, replacing fast bowler Salman Mirza, who has a fractured left thumb, with Mohammad Wasim.
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Although Pakistan are missing Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan, Hesson described the squad as balanced and aggressive, highlighting Saim Ayub, Usman Khan and Abrar Ahmed as experienced white-ball options alongside Farhan.
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Hesson said expectations for Pakistan should remain high but cautioned that it was unrealistic to expect the team to begin winning major trophies immediately, given that it had struggled to progress beyond group stages before he took over.
Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson has named India the benchmark in white-ball cricket, saying his team must improve to catch up. Speaking ahead of the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, Hesson acknowledged that India have won their last six T20 internationals, including three victories at the 2025 Asia Cup. Despite the gap, ESPN Cricinfo reported that Hesson believes Pakistan can compete if they meet India in the gold-medal final.
Pakistan will field a younger squad led by captain Sahibzada Farhan, while India send a full-strength team. Hesson stressed that Pakistan's immediate focus is winning their quarterfinal match on September 28. The coach rejected criticism of the squad, calling it balanced and aggressive despite missing stars like Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan.
Pakistan's T20 Rise Under Hesson
Hesson highlighted that Pakistan have climbed from eighth to fifth in the world T20 rankings since he took over as head coach in May 2025. The team gained 30 ranking points by winning series both at home and abroad. According to Dawn, Hesson argued that Pakistan's win percentage over the past 15 months ranks third or fourth globally, showing the T20 side's genuine progress despite struggles in other formats.
The coach firmly separated Pakistan's white-ball form from their failing Test team, which lost 3-0 to England. "It is not fair to put all three formats together," Hesson said, according to Geo Super. He emphasized that dismissing the T20 unit's recent record as poor ignores concrete improvement in rankings and series wins.
Tournament Structure Favors a Potential Final Showdown
Because both India and Pakistan enter the 2026 Asian Games directly into the quarterfinals as top seeds, they sit on opposite sides of the knockout bracket. An India vs. Pakistan meeting can happen only in the gold-medal final or bronze-medal playoff. Hesson told reporters that Pakistan must first win their quarterfinal against the runner-up or winner of Group B, which includes Hong Kong, Oman, and Malaysia.
The knockout matches run from October 1 to 3 in Nagoya. Pakistan has never won a medal in Asian Games cricket, finishing fourth in both 2010 and 2023, according to ICC.com. This tournament represents a chance for the team's younger players and captain Farhan to gain leadership experience in a major competition.
Squad Balance Built on Emerging and Experienced Talent
Pakistan made a late roster change in mid-September, replacing fast bowler Salman Mirza—who fractured his left thumb—with Mohammad Wasim. Despite losing key players, Hesson described the remaining squad as balanced and aggressive. He pointed to Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, and Abrar Ahmed as experienced white-ball options who will anchor the side alongside young captain Farhan.
The tournament also marks a shift in Pakistan's coaching staff. According to Dawn, bowling coach Ashley Noffke will depart after the Asian Games to become head coach of the Netherlands men's team. Hesson urged stakeholders to maintain high expectations but cautioned against expecting immediate major trophy wins, given Pakistan's struggle to progress beyond group stages before his appointment.
India's Dominance Sets the Standard for Pakistan
India's recent record against Pakistan speaks for itself: six consecutive T20 international victories, including three wins during the 2025 Asia Cup tournament. ESPN Cricinfo noted that India also defeated Pakistan during the 2026 T20 World Cup, where India retained their back-to-back world titles. India will arrive in Japan as defending Asian Games cricket champions.
Hesson acknowledged the gap but expressed confidence in Pakistan's ability to pressure India if they meet. He said, "India are the benchmark in terms of white-ball cricket at the moment and our challenge is to catch up." The coach noted that Pakistan came close at the 2025 Asia Cup final, suggesting the rivalry remains competitive despite recent results favoring India.
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