Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson is under investigation after the defeat against India. Despite qualifying for the Super 8s, the Men in Green fell completely short against their arch-rivals as they suffered a 61-run defeat last Sunday. The team’s mediocrity has still not been resolved, as they were almost caught in the very first game against the Netherlands.
Ahead of the Super 8 clash between Pakistan and New Zealand, former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has criticized Mike Hesson for poor coaching style and tactics. He criticized the New Zealand head coach for his decision to field first after winning the toss in a roller-coaster game against India.
Mohammad Kaif asked a question to Mike Hesson?
Mike Hesson was named as the head coach of Pakistan in May 2025. He had prior experience of coaching the New Zealand team and IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), and as soon as he was appointed, he removed Mohammad Rizwan from the T20I squad.
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Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif said, “Leave Salman Ali Aga, what is Hesson doing? Mike Hesson has coached in the IPL, he coaches everywhere, what is he telling him, to field first against India? Free ke paise le raha hai kya bhai? (Are you taking money for this?)
“I can understand that this is Agha’s first World Cup and he may be in doubt because of all that. But doesn’t Hesson know what he has to do on that slow pitch?”
“You brought Abrar in the powerplay, he got hurt and then you dropped him. It was you who took the wrong call, the spinner had to come after the powerplay. A lot happened with Usman Tariq’s action and all that, and you brought him in as the seventh bowler.”
Mike Hesson’s spin-to-win theory fails
The Men in Green used 18 overs of spin; Salman Ali Aga’s trick of bowling the first over worked and he dismissed Abhishek Sharma early. However, except Usman Tariq, the rest of the spinners were thrashed all around the park. India scored a total of 175 runs on an entertaining and spinning wicket.
Mohammad Kaif condemned the tactics used by foreign coaches. He criticized him for experimenting too much and pretending to complicate things. He highlighted Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni as examples of players who relied on match instincts rather than pre-planned strategies given by coaches behind the scenes.
‘Foreign coaches have been completely exposed’- Mohammad Kaif
Kaif said, “Foreign coaches have been completely exposed. They just write notes and pass them on. They write which bowler will bowl which over and all this, but T20 doesn’t work like that boss.”
“In T20, the game changes every over. With MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma as captains, of course, there are meetings with the coaches, but they have never taken what the coaches say on the ground. They make plans like Plan A, Plan B, Plan C and Plan D. There is nothing fixed in it. You don’t win matches with notes.”
Mohammad Kaif concluded, “These foreign coaches enjoy using their big fancy laptops and sending long emails to their bosses. You can’t win the World Cup with notes. Rohit Sharma is not a notes person, and MS Dhoni used to say no meetings, just come for the match, I will take the calls.”
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