**Pakistan Must ‘Catch Up’ with India in T20 Cricket, Says Coach Hesson**
Karachi, Pakistan – As the Pakistan cricket team prepares for the upcoming Asian Games, head coach Mike Hesson has acknowledged the significant gap that exists between Pakistan and their archrivals, India, particularly in the Twenty20 format. This admission comes as Pakistan gears up for their matches in Japan, where the men’s cricket tournament is set to begin on September 28.
Hesson's remarks highlight the challenges faced by Pakistan as they aim to compete with India, who have established themselves as a dominant force in white-ball cricket. India has recently secured back-to-back victories in the T20 World Cup and currently holds the title of defending champions at the Asian Games. Hesson noted, “India are the benchmark in terms of white-ball cricket at the moment, and our challenge is to catch up to that.”
Since Hesson took the helm of the team in May 2022, Pakistan has faced India multiple times, suffering defeats in three encounters during the Asia Cup 2025 and once in the T20 World Cup earlier this year. These results have underscored the need for Pakistan to elevate their performance if they hope to challenge India effectively.
The Asian Games represent a unique opportunity for both teams, as they have never faced each other in this tournament's history. However, they are on a collision course to meet in the semifinals on October 1, 2026, in Nagoya. Hesson expressed optimism about the potential matchup, stating, “We are certainly preparing as best we can, and if we get an opportunity to play [India], we will certainly put them under pressure like we did in the final of the Asia Cup.”
Before any potential showdown with India, Pakistan must first navigate the quarterfinals, where they will compete against the winner of Pool B, which includes teams from Hong Kong, Oman, and Malaysia. Hesson emphasized the importance of starting strong, saying, “There is a lot of cricket to be played between now and being able to play in the semifinal for both sides, so we are not getting too far ahead of ourselves.”
Historically, Pakistan has struggled to make a significant impact in cricket at the Asian Games. The team has yet to secure a medal, having finished fourth in the bronze medal match in both 2010 and 2023, and they did not participate in the 2014 edition of the Games.
As the team prepares for the upcoming tournament, Hesson's focus remains on building a competitive squad capable of challenging for honors and improving their standing in Asian cricket. The upcoming matches will be crucial for Pakistan as they aim to redefine their legacy in the Asian Games and establish themselves as formidable contenders in T20 cricket.