Archive · 23 Sep 2026
Hesson Says India Set the White-Ball Cricket Benchmark
Pakistan’s cricket coach says India are currently the best team in short-form cricket.
Pakistan wants to improve enough to compete with India.
The two teams can meet at the Asian Games only if both reach a medal match.
Pakistan has lost its last six games against India.
Coach Mike Hesson says Pakistan’s T20 team has still been successful recently.
He says the team rose from eighth to fifth in the world rankings.
Pakistan’s Test team is struggling, while its one-day team is still developing.
Pakistan’s bowling coach Ashley Noffke will leave after the Asian Games to lead the Netherlands team.
Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson calls India the current benchmark in white-ball cricket.
Pakistan could face India at the Asian Games only in a medal match if both win their quarterfinals.
Pakistan have lost their last six matches against India, including three defeats in last year’s Asia Cup.
Hesson says Pakistan’s T20I team has improved from eighth to fifth in the world over the past 15 months.
Bowling coach Ashley Noffke will leave Pakistan after the Asian Games to coach the Netherlands men’s team.
- Who
- Pakistan’s head coach Mike Hesson and Pakistan’s Asian Games cricket team; India is the potential rival.
- What
- Hesson said India are the white-ball benchmark and that Pakistan’s T20 side has improved despite recent challenges.
- When
- Pakistan’s Asian Games quarterfinal is scheduled for September 28; Hesson referred to the previous 15 months and last year’s Asia Cup.
- Where
- Hesson spoke at the High Performance Centre in Karachi, Pakistan; the tournament is the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
- Why
- Pakistan is preparing for the Asian Games and wants to close the gap with India in white-ball cricket.
Hesson’s Defense of Pakistan
Concerns About Pakistan’s Form
T20 performance
Hesson’s Defense of Pakistan
Mike Hesson says Pakistan’s T20I win percentage has been among the world’s third or fourth best over the last 15 months and that the team has won series in Pakistan, Dubai and America.
Concerns About Pakistan’s Form
Pakistan has lost repeatedly to India, including its last six matches, and enters the Asian Games after broader difficulties in Pakistan cricket.
Overall team condition
Hesson’s Defense of Pakistan
Hesson says it is unfair to judge all three formats together: he acknowledges Test struggles but says the T20 team has improved and the one-day side is developing.
Concerns About Pakistan’s Form
The Test team has suffered series sweeps in Bangladesh and England, while Pakistan’s white-ball setup has experienced behind-the-scenes changes.
Prospects against India
Hesson’s Defense of Pakistan
Hesson believes Pakistan can draw inspiration from last year’s Asia Cup final and put India under pressure if they meet at the Asian Games.
Concerns About Pakistan’s Form
India remain the benchmark, and Pakistan’s three losses to India in the previous Asia Cup and six-match losing streak underline the challenge.
- Potential India-Pakistan meeting
- The teams can meet only in a medal match if both win their quarterfinals.
- Pakistan’s recent record against India
- Pakistan has lost its last six matches against India.
- Asia Cup record
- Pakistan beat every opponent except India in last year’s Asia Cup and lost to India three times, including the final.
- Asian Games quarterfinal
- Pakistan will play the runners-up of Group B on September 28.
- T20I ranking progress
- Hesson said Pakistan rose from eighth to fifth in the world over the past 15 months.
- Coaching change
- Ashley Noffke will leave Pakistan after the Asian Games to coach the Netherlands men’s team.
- Pakistan’s formats
- Hesson described the Test team as struggling, the one-day team as developing, and the T20I team as improved.