- “We are saving our best for the final” – Head coach Mike Hesson hopes Pakistan will win a crucial game in all three series. Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson said his team has not yet played its best cricket despite three consecutive wins in the league stage and he expects that performance to be achieved in the final.
- (Photo Source: Mike Egerton/PA Images via ) Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson expressed confidence that his team will produce their best cricket in the tri-series final against Sri Lanka scheduled for October 31 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, despite having already secured their place in the final with three consecutive wins in the league phase.
- Hesson admitted that the team performed well without reaching their performance limit.
“We are saving our best for the final” – Head coach Mike Hesson hopes Pakistan will win a crucial game in all three series. Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson said his team has not yet played its best cricket despite three consecutive wins in the league stage and he expects that performance to be achieved in the final.
(Photo Source: Mike Egerton/PA Images via ) Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson expressed confidence that his team will produce their best cricket in the tri-series final against Sri Lanka scheduled for October 31 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, despite having already secured their place in the final with three consecutive wins in the league phase. Hesson admitted that the team performed well without reaching their performance limit. Shaheen Afridi and Co.
So far this season we have had three wins and one defeat. “It’s been a nice few weeks. We played good cricket without being perfect.
Getting three wins in a row without the contribution of some of our key players is a good sign,” Hesson told PCB Digital. “I still don’t think we played our best game. I hope we save it for the final,” he added.
Pakistan’s championship campaign included a 37-run win against Sri Lanka at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on October 18, 2026, followed by an 87-run win against England at the same venue on October 20, 2026. Their third consecutive win came on 25 October 2026 at the Gaddafi Stadium, where Shadab Khan scored his first ODI century as Pakistan beat England by one wicket. However, Pakistan suffered an eight-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka at the Gaddafi Stadium on October 27, 2026, but reached the final.
On the rest day before the playoff, the team resumed training at the LCCA ground in Lahore. Hesson has been Pakistan’s white-ball head coach for about a year and has overseen 12 wins in 19 ODIs in that time. Under his leadership, Pakistan achieved ODI series wins against South Africa, Sri Lanka and Australia.
On the bowling front, Hesson praised Shaheen and his teammates like Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and young Arafat Minhas. “Shaheen Shah continues to take top-class wickets for us, which is essential. Naseem and Haris played well at times throughout the tournament, while Arafat Minhas continues to develop as a young player.
There are some good signs,” Hesson said. Hesson also preciates the praise for middle-order batsman Hasan Nawaz, who has scored 148 runs in four innings so far at an average of 37 in the three overs. “Hasan Nawaz is making very good progress.
I’m really hpy with the progress. If you are a young player batting in the middle order, you need to learn to control the chase, understand risks and deal with them. “That’s something Hasan continues to improve,” Hesson said.
