Hesson backs Fakhar and Babar to deliver in tri-series final

Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson is confident that his senior batters will overcome their recent struggles and produce decisive performances when the hosts take on Sri Lanka in Saturday’s ODI tri-series final at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

Despite Pakistan’s impressive run of three successive victories to secure a place in the final, concerns remain over the inconsistent performances of their top-order batters.

Pakistan’s top-order has struggled to find consistency, with Fakhar Zaman managing just 31 runs in four innings and former captain Babar Azam scoring 118. Saim Ayub also endured a difficult run alongside Fakhar at the top of the order, accumulating only 21 runs in three appearances before requesting to be released from the squad to return to domestic cricket and work on his batting. Sahibzada Farhan was named as his replacement, while Maaz Sadaqat had been drafted into the squad earlier.

Why is Hesson backing Fakhar and Babar?

Despite their disappointing returns, Hesson has refused to lose confidence in Pakistan’s senior batters, believing their experience and quality could prove decisive when the tournament reaches its most important stage.

“You are talking about two of the greatest players in Pakistan’s history in the top three. I expect big players to stand up in big games,” Hesson said in an interview with PCB Digital, published in a video on Thursday.

“The fact that we have been able to achieve the wins that we have without the top order performing as well as we know they are capable of is a good sign. A couple of our key players are searching for that match-winning performance and there’s no better place to do it than in a final.”

Have Pakistan’s middle-order batters stepped up?

While the opening combination has struggled to establish itself, Pakistan have received valuable contributions from their middle-order players, allowing the side to remain competitive throughout the tournament.

Salman Ali Agha was particularly impressive in the opening encounter against Sri Lanka, producing an authoritative 107 off 90 deliveries to help Pakistan secure victory.

Hasan Nawaz also made an important contribution against England, scoring 79, while Arafat Minhas added 59 in the same match.

However, one of the standout performances came from Shadab Khan, whose unbeaten 113 against England in Lahore helped Pakistan pull off a remarkable one-wicket victory. Shadab and Haris Rauf rescued the hosts with an unbroken 89-run partnership for the final wicket.

Hesson highlighted Salman’s achievements, pointing out that the all-rounder’s performances at number five or below has not always received the recognition they deserve.

“Salman Ali Agha has got the most hundreds of any Pakistan player batting at number five or below in an ODI,” he said. “His performance is often underrated.”

The coach also expressed satisfaction with Hasan’s progress, particularly his growing understanding of how to manage pressure and assess risks while batting in the middle order.

"Hasan Nawaz is showing some really good progress. I am really pleased with the way he is developing. When you are a younger player batting in the middle order, you have got to learn how to control the chase, understand risk and manage it. That's something Hasan is continuing to get better at."

How important has Pakistan’s bowling attack been?

Pakistan’s bowling unit has provided another encouraging aspect of their campaign, with captain Shaheen Shah Afridi leading the attack through his ability to make early breakthroughs.

Hesson considers the left-arm fast bowler’s success against opposition top orders particularly important, while also acknowledging the contributions of Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and emerging all-rounder Arafat Minhas.

"Shaheen Shah continues to take top-order wickets for us, which is critical," said Hesson.

"Both Naseem and Haris have bowled nicely at times throughout the tournament, while Arafat Minhas, as a young player, is continuing to develop. There are some good signs there."