Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson has clarified that the absence of several senior players from the upcoming ODI series against Bangladesh national cricket team should not be interpreted as punishment following the team’s disappointing campaign at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Pakistan crashed out before the knockout stage of the tournament, which was eventually won by India national cricket team in Ahmedabad. In the aftermath, the selectors opted to leave out experienced names such as Babar Azam, Saim Ayub and Naseem Shah from the squad for the three-match ODI series in Bangladesh. Hesson insisted the decision was purely about experimentation and providing opportunities to emerging players rather than dropping established stars. “I wouldn’t say anyone was dropped. We just see this series as an opportunity to give these promising players a chance to prove themselves,” he said. The former New Zealand coach explained that Pakistan have had limited opportunities to assess new talent in the 50-over format and the Bangladesh tour offers a timely platform, especially with the next ODI World Cup approaching. “Sahabzada Farhan has forced himself into the ODI squad because of his exceptional performances in T20s and then young players like Shamyl Hussain or Maaz Sadaqat have been doing well in domestic cricket and junior sides. “The series will not be easy as Bangladesh have been playing a lot more one-day cricket then us. I see this series as a big opportunity for these new players,” Hesson said. Meanwhile, tensions within Pakistan’s cricket setup have also come to light. Former Pakistan Test pacer Sikander Bakht revealed that disagreements had occurred between Hesson and members of the selection panel regarding squad decisions during the World Cup. Speaking on Geo News, Bakht claimed that every player selected for the tournament was Hesson’s choice and said the coach often overruled the selectors. “I was involved in an argument with him. Aleem also spoke up but the rest of the selectors just sat quietly and didn’t question Hesson’s decisions,” Sikander said. Bakht also disclosed that he and former international umpire Aleem Dar had both challenged the coach’s views during selection meetings. Dar recently stepped down from his role amid reports that he was unhappy with Hesson’s involvement in selection matters. According to Bakht, the selectors had initially provided a pool of 20 names, but Hesson finalised the squad on his own terms. Sikander further criticised the influence of Pakistan’s T20 captain Salman Ali Agha in selection discussions, adding another layer of controversy around the team’s decision-making process following their World Cup exit.
