Pakistan’s newly appointed white-ball head coach Mike Hesson has broken his silence on the future roles of senior players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in the T20I team, signalling a potential strategic shift in selection.
In an exclusive interview with Saleem Khaliq, Hesson stressed that experience and reputation alone will not guarantee a place in the squad. Instead, selection will be based on players’ ability to fit specific roles aligned with the team’s tactical vision.
“The plans will be based around what roles we want to play, the style of cricket that we want,” Hesson explained.
“Once we nail down the way we want to play, there will obviously be significant or specific roles around that, and then we will start to populate those roles with players we believe can fulfil them," he added.
Hesson expressed enthusiasm about leading Pakistan’s white-ball teams, emphasising his commitment to delivering modern, successful cricket that can reignite fan support.
“I am very excited about this opportunity, and I believe I can bring significant improvement to the Pakistan team and help us play white-ball cricket that is modern, successful, and capable of winning — cricket that can once again inspire the fans to support the team. I am happy, but I also know it will be challenging,” he added.
The coach’s first assignment will be the upcoming three-match T20I series against Bangladesh at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) expected to announce the final schedule imminently.
The squad named for this series notably excludes key veterans Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi, pointing to a new direction under Hesson’s leadership.
The team also welcomes back pacer Hasan Ali, who last featured against Ireland in 2024, along with Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub, both returning from injury.
Originally planned as a five-match series with fixtures in Faisalabad, the Bangladesh tour was shortened to three matches due to logistical reasons.
This decision followed discussions between PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Bangladesh Cricket Board officials, including Chairman Nazmul Abedeen and President Farooq Ahmed, underscoring the ongoing commitment to cricketing ties between the two nations.
Pakistan squad for Bangladesh T20Is: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Wasim Jr, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicket-keeper), Saim Ayub.
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