Mike Hesson set clear conditions before accepting the role of Pakistan’s white-ball head coach.

 

Speaking to a private news channel, senior sports analyst Abdul Majid Bhatti said Hesson told the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that he would work only on his own terms.

 

Hesson made it clear that he does not believe in changing players after every one or two series. He also insisted that he would choose his own captain and team management.

 

He asked PCB to keep the same captain and team combination until the T20 World Cup next year, and the Board agreed.

 

In recent days, social media was rife with unverified reports about Salman Ali Agha losing his captaincy and Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan returning to the T20 team.

 

Abdul Majid Bhatti rejected the rumors, saying the selection committee, head coach, and captain plan to continue with the same combination until the T20 World Cup.

 

Pakistan’s performance in the recent T20 Asia Cup 2025 added pressure on the team’s batting lineup, especially the middle order. In the final against India at the Dubai International Stadium, Pakistan seemed in control after a strong 84-run opening stand between Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman. But once the openers fell, the middle order collapsed dramatically, losing nine wickets for just 33 runs. From 113 for 1, Pakistan were bowled out for 146 in 19.1 overs, handing India a comfortable victory.

 

The defeat sparked widespread criticism from fans and former cricketers. Many questioned the team’s inability to handle pressure in crucial moments and the lack of stability in the middle order. 

 

Virender Sehwag said Pakistan “destroyed themselves” despite a solid start, while Shoaib Akhtar slammed the team management for failing to fix the middle-order issues before the tournament. 

 

Captain Salman Ali Agha admitted after the match that poor shot selection and the inability to rotate strike led to their downfall in the final.

 

The Asia Cup loss has put the spotlight back on Pakistan’s batting structure, making Hesson’s demand for consistency in selection even more significant as the team builds toward the T20 World Cup 2026.