Mike Hesson, head coach of Pakistan, urged his team to concentrate on cricket as they prepare to face India in the Asia Cup final on Sunday, following previous high-tension encounters between the two teams.
Pakistan secured their first-ever Asia Cup final against India with a challenging 11-run victory over Bangladesh in a Super Four match in Dubai on Thursday.
Hesson downplayed the animosity that overshadowed the recent India-Pakistan clashes in this Asia Cup edition, marking their first encounters since the military conflict in May.
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“My message to the team is to remain focused on cricket, and that’s exactly what we’ll do. High-pressure games naturally bring out passion,” stated New Zealander Hesson.
After the first match, India declined to shake hands with Pakistan, and the practice continued after the second game.
Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav was accused of making a political remark after the first match, whereas Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf made intense gestures in the second.
India convincingly outperformed Pakistan in the previous two matches, defeating them by seven wickets in the Group A match and by six wickets in the Super Four stage.
This extended India’s unbeaten streak against Pakistan to seven international matches dating back to 2022, comprising three ODIs and four T20Is.
Hesson emphasized the need for his team to be relentless against India, the world champions, to achieve victory in the final.
“We need to be capable of putting India under sustained pressure because there’s a reason they are ranked number one globally,” he said.
“Applying pressure will be our test.”
In the first match, Pakistan managed only 127-9, which India chased down with ease, losing just three wickets.
Pakistan performed significantly better in the second match but still succumbed by six wickets.
“Our performance against India in the last match was a significant improvement over the first,” noted Hesson, a former New Zealand coach.
“In the first game, we were too passive and let India dictate the pace.
“In the last match, we dominated for long periods, but an outstanding innings from Abhishek Sharma shifted the momentum,” he added.
Sharma’s remarkable 39-ball 74 helped India chase down a 172-run target.
“We have earned this opportunity, and it’s up to us to capitalize on it,” concluded Hesson.
“Our aim is to be in a position to claim the trophy.”
