Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has sparked debate after claiming that Pakistan’s white ball head coach Mike Hesson is no longer viewed favourably within the Pakistan Cricket Board. His remarks come following Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, where the team was knocked out before reaching the semi finals.
According to Basit Ali several influential figures advising PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi are reportedly unhappy with Hesson’s role in the national team setup. The former batter suggested that the coach may no longer have the same authority over team selection as he previously did.
His comments came after Pakistan selector Aaqib Javed addressed the media and indicated that the selection committee was not fully responsible for the squad chosen for the World Cup tournament. Javed suggested that several decisions regarding the final squad were influenced by the head coach.
Recently the PCB expanded its selection panel by adding former Pakistan captains Misbah-ul-Haq and Sarfaraz Ahmed. Basit Ali believes these experienced figures are unlikely to operate under the direction of Hesson when it comes to choosing players for the national squad.
Pakistan entered the tournament under the leadership of Salman Ali Agha but failed to progress to the final four stage. This marked the fourth consecutive ICC event in which the team was unable to reach the semi finals.
The criticism surrounding Hesson has continued to grow following other disappointing results including Pakistan’s defeat against India in the Asia Cup final. In the T20 World Cup campaign Pakistan managed a major win only against Sri Lanka national cricket team while losing key matches to India national cricket team and England national cricket team. Their match against New Zealand national cricket team was washed out due to rain.
Basit also questioned why Hesson was appointed as head coach in the first place suggesting that the PCB may have been influenced by performances in the Pakistan Super League. He added that Pakistan’s upcoming ODI clash against Bangladesh national cricket team could prove to be crucial for the coach’s future with the team.
Criticism of Hesson has also come from several former Pakistan players including Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Hafeez, Sana Mir, Umar Gul, and Saqlain Mushtaq, all of whom have previously raised concerns about the team’s direction under his leadership.
