Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson acknowledges that his squad faces a significant challenge to match archrivals India in the T20 format as they prepare for the Asian Games in Japan. India currently holds the men’s back-to-back Twenty20 World Cup titles and enters the regional tournament as the defending champions.
Since Hesson assumed his role in May of last year, Pakistan has dropped four matches against India, suffering three defeats during the 2025 Asia Cup and one loss in the recent T20 World Cup. Speaking in Karachi prior to the team’s departure, Hesson described India as the current benchmark in limited-overs cricket.
Although Pakistan and India have never previously crossed paths at the Asian Games, the two sides are projected to meet in the Nagoya semifinals on October 1. Hesson noted that his squad is preparing thoroughly to apply pressure on their rivals, recalling their performance in last year’s Asia Cup final in Dubai.
Before any potential semifinal clash, Pakistan will open their campaign in the quarterfinals on September 28 against the winner of Pool B, which includes Hong Kong, Oman, and Malaysia. Emphasizing the need for a strong start, Hesson cautioned against looking too far ahead given the matches remaining for both teams.
Pakistan is still seeking its first-ever medal in Asian Games cricket, having finished fourth after losing the bronze medal matches in both 2010 and 2023, while skipping the 2014 edition entirely. The report also notes that pakistan and India have never met at the games but are likely to face-off in the semifinals on October 1 in Nagoya.
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