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RAWALPINDI: Pakistan white-ball head coach Mike Hesson has defended the use of a spin-friendly surface in the opening ODI against Australia, responding to criticism that such conditions may not help the team prepare for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027.
Pakistan secured a comfortable five-wicket victory in the series opener at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday, with spin bowlers playing a decisive role in the outcome.
The hosts opted to field just two specialist fast bowlers, while their spinners dominated Australia’s batting line-up. Pakistan’s slow bowlers accounted for eight of the visitors’ ten wickets as Australia were bowled out for 200.
Interestingly, Australian spinners also found assistance from the surface, claiming three of Pakistan’s five wickets during the chase.
Despite the convincing victory, several former cricketers and analysts questioned the preparation strategy, arguing that Pakistan should be playing on pace-friendly pitches ahead of the ODI World Cup 2027, which will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Addressing the criticism through a post on social media platform X, Mike Hesson dismissed the concerns and explained that preparations for the global event require adaptability to a range of conditions rather than focusing solely on South Africa.
“I’ve been hearing a bit of chatter about the pitches here in Pakistan not being the ideal preparation for the World Cup in South Africa. It’s actually a topic I talked about on the latest #PCB podcast,” Hesson wrote.
The former New Zealand coach pointed out that two of the tournament’s host nations are expected to offer conditions where spin could play a major role.
“Firstly the World Cup is jointly hosted in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Zimbabwe and Namibia have venues where spin is a big factor and we will be playing matches in those countries,” he stated.
Hesson further challenged the perception that all South African venues are traditionally dominated by pace and bounce, insisting that conditions vary significantly across the country.
“The myth of all pitches in South Africa being quick and bouncy are just not true, there are definitely some which are but they also vary throughout the country,” he explained.
He also referenced Pakistan’s most recent ODI tour of South Africa in 2024, highlighting that spin-friendly conditions had previously influenced results there.
“Those that remember the last ODI series Pakistan played in SA which included Paarl where spin dictated the outcome of the match,” he stated.
Hesson concluded by assuring supporters that the team management has conducted extensive planning and research as part of its World Cup preparations.
“Rest assured we have completed significant research and will be using the next 18 months to prepare for a variety of conditions,” he added.
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