Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson had to defend the performance of their T20I team while addressing media. A video has surfaced in which Hesson is seen admitting that Pakistan Cricket Team's repeated defeats against India has remained a major concern for the fans. He said that India is the "benchmark" for the Pakistani fans, however, he agreed that the T20I team's overall record should not be judged only on its results against India.
Hesson pointed out that Pakistan have lost to India on multiple occasions, something he said that the team and also the fans are well aware of. However, he said that the T20I side has been among the top teams in the world based on its win percentage over the last 15 months.
"We have lost to India on multiple occasions and that is the benchmark for all Pakistani cricket fans," Hesson said.
Over the last 15 months (June 2025 to September 2026), India and Pakistan have faced each other 4 times in T20 Internationals and India have won all 4 matches.
The Pakistan coach also claimed that the team has moved upward in the T20 rankings. He said that Pakistan were ranked eighth in the world when he took charge and now the team has moved up to the fifth position after gaining 30 points over the last 15 months.
He said that the improvement has come through winning series in Pakistan as well as overseas, including Dubai and the USA.
Hesson also asked for Pakistan's three formats to be assessed separately. He admitted that the Test team is struggling, while the ODI side is still developing ahead of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2027. At the same time, he said the team's ODI performances have improved over the last year, although Pakistan are "by no means a finished product."
