LAHORE, Feb 20 (APP): Pakistan Men’s cricket head coach Mike Hesson has said that Pakistan team is fully prepared for the New Zealand challenge in the Super Eights of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Saturday.
Speaking during the pre-match press conference at the Premadasa stadium Colombo, he said that the team is going into the match with preparation, adding that role of every player has been marked.
On Mark Chapman, Hesson said although Mark has shown good performance against Pakistan, every match has its own challenges and the Pakistan will not focus on one player only.
“Usman Tariq is kind of a player who is effective in both attack and defense and this quality makes him very valuable for the team,” he responded.
He said that there is no thing like psychological advantage in the match but skill and preparation are the keys to winning games.
On pushing Babar Azam at number 4 in the batting order during the World Cup 2026, Hesson defended the decision, adding that the team required this. He said Babar Azam does not play aggressive cricket in the power play, but he provides stable batting to the team in the middle order, especially when the team is in trouble.
The head coach praised the performance of Abrar Ahmed and other spinners and said that the strong spin attack is a big advantage for the team. “If more spin is needed according to the situation, the team has complete flexibility,” Hesson added.
On the balance of right and left-handers in the match, he said that Pakistan has players like Muhammad Nawaz and Faheem who can play a role at the right time.
“Fakhar Zaman is also in the squad and he will also get a chance if needed,” the Head Coach said defending decision to sit Fakhar on the bench so far in the tournament.
The head coach said that the team is ready for the start of the Super 8s and every player is determined to perform at his best according to his skills and character.