Dubai: Pakistan-head coach Mike Hesson has thrown his full weight behind his players Prior to the long-awaited Asia Cup 2025 final against India, insisting that the team “has earned the right” to fight for the title-to-field inconsistency and off-field turbulence.
After a dramatic comeback victory in Bangladesh in the Super Four-a competition that was seen as a virtual semi-final-booked Pakistan their place in Sunday’s final in the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, which marked the first Pakistan-India final in Asia Cup history since the start of the tournament in 1984.
But while the cricket world is preparing for a final with a high octane, the preparations for Pakistan are overshadowed by a constant ICC-disciplinary process, in which players are expected to appear in a formal hearing on Friday about alleged breaches of behavior during previous competitions in the tournament.
Hesson, however, was unwavering in his approach. “We deserved this opportunity,” he told reporters. “All games before were now about getting ourselves able to win the trophy. Now it is about delivering the largest stage.”
And as the media supervision in an increase in the ICC research intensifies to be concerned on the field gestures and emotional parties during victories against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh made Hesson clear his focus, and that of the team stays firmly on cricket.
“Look, my message is simple: we just focus on cricket. We are here for that.
The coach, who led Pakistan in the past year through a period of considerable transition, was candid about the early match on his side against Bangladesh. Reduced to 33 for four, the innings of Pakistan was on the edge of collapse but again, it was a solution of lower order and bowling of world class that sealed the victory.
He praised players such as Shaheen Shah Afridi and Agha Salman, who helped Pakistan to stabilize their innings on a challenging throw before the Bowlers Bangladesh ended with clinical precision.
Hesson said about the field: “These surfaces are difficult. It’s not about playing the perfect cover drive-it about decision-making, adjusting and fighting for each run. That’s what we did.”
When it comes to India – a side that Pakistan did not defeat in their last seven meetings – Hesson has rejected a conversation about mental barriers. “Absolutely not. In the last game we had them for a long time. We let it slip, but it was not anxiety – it was just an exceptional innings that played the game. This time we have to keep the pressure longer,” Hesson said.
With the ICC hearing looming and the weight of a nation on their shoulders, Pakistan goes the last walk in a regions – fighting to lift the trophy while they defend distributions that could derail their momentum.
Yet Hesson believes that his team is mentally strong enough to enter into the opportunity.
