- Joined
- Aug 12, 2023
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- 24,029
Mike Hesson in a press conference after the defeat against India in the T20 World Cup 2026 in Colombo:
Q: Did Pakistan fail to handle the pressure of the India-Pakistan contest, especially in the batting department?
Mike Hesson: Initially, the ball was spinning quite a lot. Ishan Kishan’s play really took the game away from us. India probably got about 25 runs above par on that surface. From a batting standpoint, we didn’t give ourselves a chance to adjust to the conditions. When pressure is on, you have to trust your basics; today, the pressure made us go outside of that.
Q: Do batters "overthink" in these high-stakes games despite their experience?
Mike Hesson: I think they can. When you see a score that is above par, you feel like you have to play like "Superman" and take the game on earlier than the conditions allow. We lost wickets early to tough shots that might have worked on a quicker surface, but not here.
Q: Why was Usman Tariq held back so late in the innings?
Mike Hesson: Usman has a very specific role for us. While he could have bowled after the powerplay, Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan have been doing a great job for us in that phase over the last five wins. It didn't go their way tonight in terms of lengths, but I’d back those guys any day. I thought Usman was exceptional when he did come on.
Q: Whose decision was it to open the bowling with Salman Ali Agha?
Mike Hesson: We had planned that for about three days. We knew India would expect certain matchups with their left-handers, and we felt Agha bowling into the wicket while it was "tacky" would give us an advantage. He had been practicing with the new ball specifically for this.
Q: Was it a mistake to bowl first, similar to Australia’s recent loss to Zimbabwe?
Mike Hesson: Not at all. You have to look at the facts: the ball spun twice as much in the first innings as it did in the second. In the second innings, the ball actually skidded on. The decision to bowl was correct; the issue was the quality of our bowling in the first six overs and the poor options we took with the bat.
Q: What makes Ishan Kishan so challenging to bowl to?
Mike Hesson: He is fearless and can score on both sides of the ground. He isn't just a leg-side player; he can reverse-hit as well. He’s in a "rare vein of form" and his aggression forced our spinners away from their basics. Aside from him and Shivam Dube, no one else really scored better than a run-a-ball.
Q: Does a visit from the Board Chairman the day before a match add extra pressure?
Mike Hesson: No. The Chairman is a big supporter and he visits often before games. It’s part of his role and our guys know they are representing Pakistan. It doesn't add extra pressure.
Q: How do you keep the players emotionally stable for such a massive event?
Mike Hesson: We try to limit distractions and focus purely on the job. The reality is that it’s impossible to ignore the occasion completely, but in the dressing room tonight, we acknowledged it wasn't the occasion that beat us—it was our cricketing skill. We’ve won five on the bounce before this, so we just need to pick ourselves up for the next game in a few days.
Q: Did Pakistan fail to handle the pressure of the India-Pakistan contest, especially in the batting department?
Mike Hesson: Initially, the ball was spinning quite a lot. Ishan Kishan’s play really took the game away from us. India probably got about 25 runs above par on that surface. From a batting standpoint, we didn’t give ourselves a chance to adjust to the conditions. When pressure is on, you have to trust your basics; today, the pressure made us go outside of that.
Q: Do batters "overthink" in these high-stakes games despite their experience?
Mike Hesson: I think they can. When you see a score that is above par, you feel like you have to play like "Superman" and take the game on earlier than the conditions allow. We lost wickets early to tough shots that might have worked on a quicker surface, but not here.
Q: Why was Usman Tariq held back so late in the innings?
Mike Hesson: Usman has a very specific role for us. While he could have bowled after the powerplay, Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan have been doing a great job for us in that phase over the last five wins. It didn't go their way tonight in terms of lengths, but I’d back those guys any day. I thought Usman was exceptional when he did come on.
Q: Whose decision was it to open the bowling with Salman Ali Agha?
Mike Hesson: We had planned that for about three days. We knew India would expect certain matchups with their left-handers, and we felt Agha bowling into the wicket while it was "tacky" would give us an advantage. He had been practicing with the new ball specifically for this.
Q: Was it a mistake to bowl first, similar to Australia’s recent loss to Zimbabwe?
Mike Hesson: Not at all. You have to look at the facts: the ball spun twice as much in the first innings as it did in the second. In the second innings, the ball actually skidded on. The decision to bowl was correct; the issue was the quality of our bowling in the first six overs and the poor options we took with the bat.
Q: What makes Ishan Kishan so challenging to bowl to?
Mike Hesson: He is fearless and can score on both sides of the ground. He isn't just a leg-side player; he can reverse-hit as well. He’s in a "rare vein of form" and his aggression forced our spinners away from their basics. Aside from him and Shivam Dube, no one else really scored better than a run-a-ball.
Q: Does a visit from the Board Chairman the day before a match add extra pressure?
Mike Hesson: No. The Chairman is a big supporter and he visits often before games. It’s part of his role and our guys know they are representing Pakistan. It doesn't add extra pressure.
Q: How do you keep the players emotionally stable for such a massive event?
Mike Hesson: We try to limit distractions and focus purely on the job. The reality is that it’s impossible to ignore the occasion completely, but in the dressing room tonight, we acknowledged it wasn't the occasion that beat us—it was our cricketing skill. We’ve won five on the bounce before this, so we just need to pick ourselves up for the next game in a few days.
