Tactical Decisions, Not Reactions: Pakistan Coach Hesson's Take on Team Changes

Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson clarifies that demoting Babar Azam and omitting Shaheen Shah Afridi were strategic decisions, not knee-jerk reactions to their T20 World Cup loss against India. Hesson emphasizes the tactical nature of these changes, as Pakistan aims to improve its performance in upcoming matches.

In a recent media briefing, Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson refuted claims that strategic changes following the T20 World Cup loss to India were impulsive. He stated that Babar Azam's demotion and Shaheen Shah Afridi's omission for the Namibia match were purely tactical decisions.

Hesson explained that Babar Azam was pushed down the order due to his subpar strike rate in the powerplay, while Shaheen Afridi was replaced by Salman Mirza, who earned his spot. The coach highlighted that these choices were about optimizing team roles rather than reacting to defeat.

Furthermore, Hesson addressed the strategy of using Usman Tariq as both an attacking and defensive option and dismissed the notion of a psychological edge over New Zealand in upcoming matches, emphasizing that success hinges on skill execution.

(With inputs from agencies.)