Hesson Voices Concerns Over Dhaka Pitch Quality After T20I Defeat

Following their defeat in the first T20I against Bangladesh, Pakistan’s white-ball head coach, Mike Hesson, has openly criticized the pitch at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, deeming it below par for international cricket standards. The Pakistani side was dismissed for a mere 110 runs in 19.3 overs, facing considerable difficulty adjusting to the prevailing conditions.

In his post-match comments, Hesson acknowledged that his batsmen had misinterpreted the nature of the surface. However, his primary concern was the track’s suitability for high-level international competition.

Hesson’s Critique

“In my opinion, this pitch doesn’t favor anyone,” Hesson remarked. “Teams are trying to gear up for major tournaments like the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup, and this type of surface is simply unacceptable. That being said, our batting decisions weren’t good. But this pitch does not meet international standards.”

The Men in Green experienced early setbacks, finding themselves at 46 for 5 by the eighth over. Several batsmen were dismissed attempting ambitious shots, and three run-outs further compounded their troubles.

Analysis of Pakistan’s Innings

“We started positively, with Fakhar Zaman playing some aggressive shots, which misled us about the pitch’s behavior,” he explained. “Our shot selection in the middle overs was poor. We didn’t appropriately assess the risk when the ball began to grip and bounce sharply. A couple of run-outs also hurt us.”

Bangladesh’s Perspective

Bangladesh’s opening batsman, Parvez Hossain Emon, who played a crucial innings to secure victory, held a different view from Hesson.

“We didn’t think it was a poor pitch since we chased the target in under 16 overs,” Emon stated. “We could have reached 150-160 runs if we had batted out the full 20 overs. Perhaps they struggled to adapt to the pitch. We made better adjustments than they did. The Dhaka pitch usually assists the bowlers. We aimed to quickly understand the wicket, and that was our initial strategy.”

Despite the outcome, Hesson maintained his critique of the pitch, cautioning that such surfaces are not conducive to preparing teams for challenging international matches.

“Quality cricket pitches are essential for developing cricketers. To be fair, some good pitches were seen during the BPL. However, this pitch isn’t up to par when international cricket is being played,” he commented.

“I’m not sure it benefits them when they play outside of Bangladesh. Also, batting first in these conditions is tough, especially when you’re uncertain whether 100, 130, or 150 is a sufficient target. I don’t think it’s beneficial for anyone. But we need to perform better on any surface. We will address it as a team,” he concluded.

It’s worth noting that the hosts are currently leading the three-match series 1-0, with the second T20I scheduled to take place at the same venue.