Hesson Slams Gesture Row, Demands Calm for India Final

News Desk

Islamabad: Pakistan coach Mike Hesson has urged his players to stay away from controversies and concentrate solely on cricket when they face arch-rivals India in the Asia Cup 2025 final on Sunday.

The warning comes after Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan’s provocative gestures during the Super Four clash against India sparked outrage and led the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to file an official complaint with the ICC.

A verdict is still pending, but Hesson made it clear he will not tolerate distractions in the title-decider.

“Look, my message to the players is just focus on cricket. In terms of gestures there has always been passion in high-pressure games, but we need to channel it better,” the New Zealander said.

Despite losing twice to India in this tournament—by seven wickets in the group stage and six wickets in the Super Four—Pakistan scraped through to the final after edging out Bangladesh in a thriller on Thursday.

India, meanwhile, extended their unbeaten streak against Pakistan to seven internationals since 2022, underlining the scale of the challenge awaiting Hesson’s men.

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The coach, however, believes his side showed improvement in the second meeting. “The first game was passive, we let India control it. In the Super Four, we had the game by the scruff of the neck for long periods until an exceptional innings from Abhishek Sharma took it away,” he said.

While emotions are expected to run high in the third clash between the two sides this tournament, Hesson is demanding composure. “We have to put India under pressure for longer because there is a reason they are the top-ranked side in the world. That will be our challenge.”

Pakistan posted just 127-9 in the opening clash, before faring better with the bat in the Super Four but still falling short. With captain Jemimah Rodrigues and senior stars missing, the batting unit’s fragility remains under scrutiny.

For Hesson, however, the final is about opportunity. “We have deserved this chance, and now it’s up to us to make the most of it. We’ve worked hard to be in this position to win the trophy,” he added.