Pakistan coach Mike Hesson calls India the white-ball benchmark

Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson described India as the benchmark in white-ball cricket and said Pakistan's challenge is to catch up to that standard. He spoke during Pakistan's pre-departure camp ahead of the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. India have won the last six T20I meetings between the sides, including three victories during the 2025 Asia Cup. Pakistan will travel to Japan without Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan, with Sahibzada Farhan leading a squad containing several emerging players. Hesson said the Asian Games provide an excellent platform for new and talented players to showcase their abilities. Both nations have directly qualified for the quarterfinals of the men's T20 event.