DHAKA – Pakistan white-ball head coach Mike Hesson on Monday slammed the pitch at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, calling it unsuitable for international cricket following his side’s defeat against Bangladesh in the opening T20I of the series.
In Sunday’s match, the Pakistan team collapsed for just 110 runs in 19.3 overs. Struggling from the outset, Pakistan lost five wickets for only 46 runs by the eighth over. The innings witnessed poor shot selection and three run-outs, which further derailed the team’s efforts to build momentum.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Hesson acknowledged that the batters failed to properly assess the surface but expressed concern over the standard of the pitch.
“I don’t believe this pitch was suitable for any team. Sides are currently preparing for major events like the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup, and a pitch of this nature is unacceptable at the international level,” he said.
He further explained that early aggressive shots by Fakhar Zaman gave the team a false sense of confidence regarding the conditions.
“We suffered in the middle overs due to poor shot selection. When the ball started seaming and bouncing, we didn’t adapt quickly enough.”
Hesson warned that such playing surfaces not only hamper teams’ preparation but also hinder the technical development of players.
In response to Hesson’s criticism, Bangladesh opener Parvez Hossain Emon defended the pitch and said that it did not pose any difficulty for the hosts.
“We didn’t find the pitch problematic at all. We chased the target in under 16 overs. Had we batted the full 20, we could’ve easily scored 150 or 160. We simply read the conditions better,” he said.\
Bangladesh leads the three-match T20I series 1-0. The second game will be played at the same venue on Tuesday (tomorrow).
