Mike Hesson Outlines Vision for Pakistan's White-Ball Cricket in First Major Interview

By Shah Faisal 

Pakistan's newly appointed white-ball head coach, Mike Hesson, has offered deep insight into his coaching philosophy, team direction, and expectations for the national side in a revealing interview with the PCB. 

The former Islamabad United consultant and ex-New Zealand head coach has started his Pakistan tenure on a positive note, guiding the team to a 3-0 T20I series win over Bangladesh, but he is quick to remind fans that success will come through a clear, long-term process. 

A Unified Vision with the PCB 

One of the major talking points of Hesson’s interview was his alignment with the Pakistan Cricket Board on the kind of white-ball cricket the team wants to play. According to Hesson, the PCB acknowledged the need for change — not just in strategy, but also in structure and mindset. 

“There was a shift in terms of the PCB recognising that they needed to make change,” Hesson said. “The concept of playing aggressive cricket versus measured, smart cricket with intent is what makes the difference.” 

Hesson stressed the importance of clear communication with decision-makers—from selectors to senior players—to ensure everyone is on the same page. His emphasis is on smart aggression rather than blind hitting, and he’s confident his structured approach can help untap the potential of underperforming talents in the squad. 

Fielding as a Non-Negotiable Standard 

In modern white-ball cricket, fielding is often the deciding factor, and Hesson has no illusions about Pakistan’s need for improvement in this department. 

“Fielding is critical in white-ball cricket; there's no room for someone who can’t. You just can't hide people in the field these days.” 

He plans to instil a strong fielding culture within the team, not just by enforcing standards, but by developing skillsets across the squad. For Hesson, fielding reflects attitude and commitment, and it will be a core pillar of Pakistan’s white-ball identity under his leadership. 

All-Round Skills Over Specialists 

Hesson also spoke candidly about the evolving nature of T20 cricket, where the lines between batting and bowling roles have blurred. He believes the era of specialist batters is over. 

“You have to be multi-skilled,” he stated. “The idea of just specialist batters is outdated. The more options a captain has, the more tactically flexible we can be.” 

In Hesson's view, a batter who can offer an over or two, or a bowler who can bat responsibly at No. 7 or 8, adds crucial depth and balance to the squad. This thinking aligns with the squad composition seen in the recent Bangladesh series, where Pakistan displayed more flexibility and tactical awareness. 

Door Open for Everyone – But with Clarity 

Though notable absentees like Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi weren’t part of Hesson's first squad, he made it clear that selection is open for all. 

“I don’t shut the door on anybody,” he said. “I’ll be having those communications. I want to be clear about the expectations we have.” 

Hesson emphasized transparency and direct communication with dropped players, underlining that performance, adaptability, and alignment with team strategy will be key for selection—not reputation. 

As Pakistan prepares for a packed white-ball calendar, including key ICC events, Hesson’s balanced yet modern approach could mark a crucial shift in the team’s trajectory.  

But as known already, this is PCB and inside it anything can happen without any reason. All we can do is to hope for a better and long-term approach from the management in favour of Pakistan cricket.