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Express Tribune
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Mike Hesson labels Mirpur pitch "unacceptable" after Pakistan's defeat
Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson has criticised the pitch at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, calling it "unacceptable" for international cricket after his side was bowled out for just 110 in the first T20I against Bangladesh. While Hesson admitted that Pakistan's batters had misread the conditions, he emphasised that the pitch did not meet the standards expected for international play. "It is not ideal for anybody," he said. "Teams are preparing for the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup, and this pitch is simply not acceptable," Hesson continued. Pakistan's collapse was swift, with the team slipping to 46 for 5 by the eighth over. Many of the batters fell while attempting high-risk shots, and Pakistan's cause was further hindered by three run-outs. Despite a bright start from Fakhar Zaman, who top-scored with 44 off 34 balls, Pakistan were eventually bowled out in 19.3 overs. Hesson reflected on the team's struggles: "Fakhar Zaman played a few good shots, which gave us a false impression of how the surface was playing. We didn't adjust well in the middle overs and made poor decisions. As the ball started to bounce and nip through, we didn't recognise the increased difficulty of playing high-risk shots. The run-outs didn't help either." However, Bangladesh's opener, Parvez Hossain Emon, disagreed with Hesson's assessment, pointing to his team's dominant seven-wicket victory. "We didn't feel it was a bad pitch, as we chased the target down in less than 16 overs," Emon said. "We could have scored 150-160 runs if we batted the full 20 overs. It may be that Pakistan couldn't adjust to the pitch as well as we did. We adapted quickly, which was part of our strategy." Hesson, though, felt such surfaces would not aid Bangladesh's preparations for tougher conditions abroad. "Good cricket wickets are needed to develop cricketers," he said. "While there were better wickets in the BPL, this pitch doesn't meet the standard required for international cricket. It's challenging to bat first when you're unsure of what score is good enough," he added. Despite the pitch's challenges, Hesson acknowledged that his team still needed to perform better, regardless of the surface. "We'll look at it as a team," he added.
India Today
11 hours ago
- Sport
- India Today
Pakistan head coach slams Dhaka pitch after crushing defeat vs Bangladesh in 1st T20I
Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson has slammed the Dhaka pitch following their horrendous performance in the first T20I vs Bangladesh. Pakistan ended up losing the match by seven wickets as Bangladesh comfortably chased down the modest target of 110 in 15.3 visitors put on a horrendous batting performance in the first innings as no one apart from Fakhar Zaman (44 off 34) managed to come to the terms of the pitch. Following their loss, Mike Hesson has slammed the Dhaka surface calling it not up to international think the pitch is not ideal for anybody. Teams are trying to prepare for the Asia Cup or the T20 World Cup. It is not acceptable. It is still no excuse for some of the decisions we made with the bat. But this pitch is not up to international standards," Hesson told reporters after the first T20I. Furthermore, the Pakistan head coach said that playing on such surfaces will not help the Bangladesh team when they go out to play in overseas conditions."You need good cricket wickets to develop cricketers. There was some good wickets during the BPL, to be fair. It is not up to the standard when international cricket is being played. I don't think it helps them when they leave Bangladesh. But I think also batting first in these situations is challenging. When you aren't quite sure whether 100 or 130 or 150 is good enough. I don't think the pitch is good for anybody. It still doesn't take away the fact that you have to perform better in any surface. We will look at it as a team," he Ahmed (3/22) and Mustafizur Rahman (2/6) ran through the Pakistan batting line up, triggering a dramatic collapse in the middle overs. In the second innings, a half-century from Parvez Hossain Emon (56* off 39) took them home in no time. The opening batter was also adjudged Player of the Match for his match-winning having lost the series opener, Pakistan will be eager to bounce back in the second T20I on Tuesday, July 22 at the same venue.- EndsTrending Reel
News18
a day ago
- Sport
- News18
PAK Coach Mike Hesson Fumes Over Mirpur Pitch: 'Not Of International Standard'
Pakistan's new coach Mike Hesson criticized the Mirpur pitch after a seven-wicket loss to Bangladesh, calling it below international standards. The slow and low track of Mirpur felt Pakistan's new white-ball coach Mike Hesson's fury on Sunday. The New Zealander said after his side's huge, seven-wicket defeat that the pitch wasn't of 'international standard' and that though it might help 'Bangladesh find success', it wasn't 'right' to present such wickets to visiting teams. Pakistan were bowled out for just 110, their lowest ever total in T20Is. Fakhar Zaman top-scored with 44, but no other visiting batter could even cross half of that as pacers Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman ran riot with five wickets. In reply, Parvez Hossain Emo's half-century and Towhid Hridoy's patient 36 saw Bangladesh chase it in just 15.3 overs, one of their best wins statistically over the Asian rivals. 'This type of wicket is not of international standard," an angry Hesson said in the post-match press conference. Playing on such pitches won't help you improve. You have the Asia Cup ahead, and playing on surfaces like this won't help you succeed on the big stage. Bangladesh may find success on these kinds of pitches, but this is by no means an ideal wicket," he remarked. Hesson almost veered into explaining how 'such wickets' were not helpful for Bangladesh cricket's development either, before reeling himself back. 'In the BPL, good wickets are usually prepared here. But in international matches, Bangladesh keeps producing these slow and low surfaces to gain a home advantage. That's not right," he stated, before adding, 'I haven't come here to fix Bangladesh cricket—that's not my job. But when we talk about the global standard of the game, such wickets are not the way forward." It's not just the visiting teams, though. In 2021, after Bangladesh hosted New Zealand and Australia on such tracks and found success, some batters had complained about the pitch. Home skipper Litton Das had also brought up the subject on the eve of this T20I, saying: 'I also agree. (After playing the 2021 New Zealand-Australia series) the careers of many cricketers have gone down as batters. If I were a bowler, maybe my career would have been rich." Bangladesh now lead the series 1-0, with the second match on Tuesday, July 22, at the same venue. view comments First Published: July 20, 2025, 23:05 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Health
- New Indian Express
Volunteer-run medical helpline helps 900 BPL patients; saves families over Rs 2 crore
BENGALURU: A 24x7 medical helpline, started by a group of 30 professionals, including doctors, engineers, and recruiters, is transforming how low-income families in Karnataka access healthcare. In just over a year, the team has assisted more than 900 patients from Below Poverty Line (BPL) backgrounds, and helped their families save over Rs 2 crore in medical expenses by guiding them to the most feasible and affordable treatment options. The initiative — ABF Health initiative, a project by non-profit Active Bengaluru Foundation (ABF) — was born out of the confusion and helplessness the volunteers witnessed during the Covid-19 pandemic, with many poor families trying to gather where to go, how to afford treatment, and how to utilise government health schemes. Accordingly, the helpline connects callers to district surgeons, government hospitals, and helps them understand how to claim benefits they are entitled to. Thouseef Ahmed, a volunteer, said the helpline does not offer direct medical advice, financial support or treatment, but plays a critical role in helping families access existing government services. Volunteers help patients understand how to use their BPL health card, connect them to government hospitals, speak with Arogya Mitras, and assist in coordinating essential needs like oxygen support, diagnostics, or mobility aids. They also explain how to access funding under schemes like Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka (AB-ArK). 'The idea emerged during Covid, when many of the same volunteers were involved in food and ration distribution. Over time, they found that many who were struggling to find treatment were not even aware of the government schemes designed for them. This gap between entitlement and access became the central motivation for setting up the ABF Health Helpline,' Ahmed said.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Sport
- Express Tribune
'Babar, Rizwan are world class'
Pakistan's T20I captain Salman Ali Agha on Saturday expressed confidence in his team's ability to deliver a strong performance in the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh, stating that the players are under no pressure and will play aggressive cricket. Speaking to reporters in Dhaka on the eve of the first T20I, Salman termed the series a challenging one but hoped for a positive outcome. He acknowledged the strength of the Bangladesh side, saying, "They are a competitive team and give tough challenges to their opponents at home and abroad, but we are also ready to play aggressive cricket." Salman added that having participated in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), he and several other players have a good understanding of the local conditions. He noted that the team had also trained accordingly during their preparatory camp in Karachi, with pitches made to simulate the conditions in Dhaka. "Understanding the conditions is key. We have prepared to adapt our game according to the pitch and match situations. Our experience from playing in the BPL gives us an edge here," he said. The captain also praised senior players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, calling them world-class cricketers who have consistently performed for Pakistan. He emphasised that the current squad has the right mix of players to play attacking T20 cricket. "Babar and Rizwan are world-class. They've served Pakistan incredibly well. T20 cricket is evolving every six months, every year. "We have players in the squad who match the style of cricket we want to play. There's no pressure, our focus is solely on playing good cricket in this series," he concluded. For the unversed, the trophy for the three-match T20I series between Pakistan and Bangladesh was unveiled in a ceremony held at a local hotel in Dhaka on Saturday. Captains from both sides, Pakistan's Salman Ali Agha and Bangladesh's Liton Das, participated in a photo shoot with the trophy. The green shirts will play three T20Is against Bangladesh on July 20, 22 and 24, with Dhaka's Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium set to host all the matches. The series marks a rematch between the two sides after their last encounter in May, where Pakistan sealed a 3-0 clean sweep at home. Earlier this week, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officially announced ticket prices for the upcoming series, with prices ranging from Tk 300 to Tk 3,500, catering to a wide range of fans. The BCB has prioritised a digital-first approach for ticket distribution. Starting July 15, tickets will be available exclusively online through the official eTicket platform. Pakistan squad: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza and Sufyan Moqim. Bangladesh squad: Litton Kumer Das (Captain), Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Parvez Hossain Emon, Md Naim Sheikh, Tawhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali Anik, Shamim Hossain Patwari, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Md Saifuddin. Series schedule 20 July – First T20I; 22 July – Second T20I; 24 July – Third T20I
