Momentum under Mike Hesson

When Mike Hesson landed the coaching gig in Pakistan, the country was in the midst of dogfights with its nuclear-armed neighbor.

Moreover, none of his previous coaching appointments would have had a cricket captain who is also the home minister of the country.

Now six months into a 2-year contract, Hesson appears to have come through the first period on a tough field.

The 51-year-old understands how to operate in Pakistan’s politically charged cricket environment, having coached Islamabad United.

In press conferences and interviews, he has shown confidence in a PCB which, even at the best of times, is under intense scrutiny from its fans.

The job of a coach in Pakistan involves not only managing a cricket team but also the egos of its managers.

Hesson’s predecessors would have asked him to stay away from the PCB.

World coach Gary Kirsten, who reportedly signed a 2-year contract, has resigned after six months.

Similarly, his replacement, Jason Gillespie, had a bitter pay dispute with the board.

That was the backdrop under which Kiwi signed up for the job.

Then came the Asian Cup and with it a unique crisis. Anyone from a player to an administrator would have been at a loss as to how to handle an opposing team on a cricket ground playing a match but refusing to shake hands afterwards. Images then emerged of Hesson going with Salman Ali Agha to the Indian dressing room to persuade them to put in a good show of sportsmanship.

Engaging in diplomatic approaches would fall under “other duties as assigned” in the job description, and Hesson could well decline to intervene. Yet he did, and it shows the Kiwi as someone who is in tune with the kind of character a Pakistani dressing room, management and country can get behind.

Discovering Pakistan Cricket

In one of his first pressings for the national team, he agreed with the decision not to include Babar Azam, even giving a blueprint for what the world’s leading T20I run-scorer needed to do to get back into the team. Just a month after he dropped Babar, the Sydney Sixers made him one of the most expensive players in the history of the Big Bash League (BBL). That couldn’t give much credence to the ax of a player so well respected.

However, he stuck with it, and almost seven months into the job, Hesson has now coached Pakistan in 24 T20Is, where his record so far has been 16 wins, with a win rate of 66%. Although those wins came against weaker competition, including Bangladesh, West Indies and a depleted South African side, they came at a time when many questions were raised about the team. Prior to these wins, Pakistan had lost series against New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and England.

Meanwhile, in the recently concluded Asia Cup, even a solitary win in what turned out to be a three-match T20I series against India in the tournament would boost the team’s confidence.

Road to World T20

Hesson captain Salman Ali Agha found himself out of form and one would argue that if he wasn’t leading the team, he could be replaced by someone else.

At the same time, however, his field placements and bowling changes in the Lahore tour swing were a key reason why South Africa’s wickets continued to tumble.

As of now, Pakistan is only scheduled to play a tri-series T20I with Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in November, both teams are below Pakistan. Even the relegated Afghanistan team is below the home team. Also, there is currently no domestic T20 tournament scheduled before the start of the World T20 2026 tournament on February 7.

One hopes that the PCB plans to bring stronger teams to Pakistan or suggest a series in Sri Lanka ahead of the tournament. Competing against higher-ranked teams will be the only litmus test that avoids the ‘shock’ embarrassment as the world event takes place.

The World T20 will be another politically charged event as the team will play matches only in Sri Lanka while the rest of the teams are also playing across India. Hesson may soon have to manage another realpolitik.