Mike Hesson: In the ongoing Asia Cup 2025, Pakistan gained many headlines not due to their game but due to their behaviour on the field. In recent times Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by 11 runs, cementing their place in the finals with India.
The final of the Asia Cup 2025 will be played between India and Pakistan on September 28, Sunday, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Ahead of the final clash, Pakistan coach Mike Hesson broke silence on the inappropriate gestures made by Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan on the field during the game in the Super 4.
These gestures of theirs led the BCCI to file a complaint with match referee Andy Pycroft; for this now Rauf and Farhan will be appearing in front of Richie Richardson for a hearing on Friday, and some strict actions might be taken on them.
In the Super 4 game against India, Sahibzada Farhan did the gun celebration after completing his fifty and doing actions of firing shots in the air. On the other hand, Rauf was signalling 6-0 to the crowd.
Rauf also did the gesture of how the jets were brought down, and this behavior of his led to a lot of talks on social media.
“Our Focus Will Be On Playing A Good Game”: Mike Hesson
Talking about this, Pakistan coach Mike Hesson stated that his only focus remains on watching whether Pakistan plays good cricket or not; this is what his job teaches him.
He said,
“Look, my message is that we are focused on the cricket, and we certainly will be doing that. Those things, you probably know more about than I do. I deal with the cricket side.”
“In terms of gestures, there is always some passion, isn’t there? In terms of when you are in high-pressure games, our focus will be on playing a good game. That’s a part of my job.”
“Trying To Win The Trophy”: Mike Hesson
The Men In Blue have already beaten Pakistan in the group stage and Super 4 in the Asia Cup 2025, and now it’s the final calling for both teams. However, Hesson looks quite confident in the performance of the team in the Super 4s.
He said,
“We have to be good enough to put India under pressure for longer because there is a reason why they are ranked the top side in the world. We have to put them under pressure, and that will be our challenge.”
“I think the way we played against India in the last match was a huge step up from the first game. The first game was a bit passive; we allowed India to control the game. The last match we had, we had that game by the scruff of the neck for long periods, and it took an exceptional innings from Abhishek Sharma that took the game away from us.”
Hesson also stated that his team deserves to play the final, and hence they will be giving their best against the Men in Blue.
He said,
“We have deserved this opportunity, so it’s now up to us to make the most of it. We have been trying to be in position to win the trophy.”
It is to be noted that this is the first time that India and Pakistan will be facing each other in the Asia Cup final.
Also Read: “Good Enough To Beat Anyone”: Salman Agha On Facing India In The Asia Cup 2025 Final
