LAHORE: Pakistan men’s head coach Mike Hesson has said the national side has not yet played its best cricket, expressing hope that the team will produce its finest performance in the final.
Speaking exclusively to Geo News, Hesson said Pakistan will face Sri Lanka in the final at Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday. The team reached the title decider after securing three consecutive victories.
Hesson said it was encouraging to win three straight matches without major contributions from key players, adding that the team’s overall performance over the past two weeks had been satisfactory.
He noted that Pakistan’s top three includes two of the greatest batters in the country’s history, and that big players are expected to deliver in big matches. Winning without major contributions from the top order is a welcome sign, he said, but the final offers key batters an ideal opportunity to play match-winning innings.
The coach singled out Salman Ali Agha for praise, saying his performances in the middle order have been exceptional, while Hasan Nawaz’s batting has also continued to improve.
Speaking about the captain, Hesson said Shaheen Shah Afridi’s early wickets are extremely important for the side. He added that Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf have also bowled well during the tournament, while young cricketer Arafat Minhas is showing improvement as well.
Acknowledging the team’s last league match against Sri Lanka, Hesson said the batting did not live up to expectations, but he expects the players to bounce back strongly in the final.
On the crowds, the head coach said cricket fans have offered outstanding support throughout the series, with supporters in Lahore and Rawalpindi always among the best. He expressed hope that the team would reward them with a top-quality display in the final.