Pakistan coach Mike Hesson names India the benchmark in cricket

Pakistan men’s head coach Mike Hesson has identified India as the ‘benchmark’ for white-ball cricket, stating that his team’s challenge is to catch up to their rivals. Hesson made these comments ahead of the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, where both teams have qualified directly for the quarter-finals.

While India has entered the tournament with a full-strength squad as defending champions, Pakistan is fielding a younger, second-string side led by Sahibzada Farhan. Key players such as Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan are not part of the squad. However, Hesson described the Pakistani team as balanced and aggressive, noting that the tournament provides an excellent platform for new talent and captaincy experience for Farhan.

India and Pakistan can only face each other if both teams progress through the knockout stages. Hesson expressed confidence that Pakistan can put India under pressure if a matchup occurs, citing their performance in the recent Asia Cup final.