India set the standard, Pakistan aims to challenge.

Mike Hesson confident ahead of Asian Games T20 clash.

Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson has acknowledged India’s dominance in white-ball cricket but remains optimistic that his side can test their rivals if they meet at the Asian Games in Japan. Both teams enter the men’s T20 competition directly in the quarter-finals on September 28, with a showdown possible only in the medal rounds.

India, the defending champions from the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, have enjoyed a commanding record against Pakistan in recent years. They have won the last six T20 encounters, including three victories in the 2025 Asia Cup. Despite this, Hesson believes Pakistan can apply pressure, citing their spirited Asia Cup final performance as evidence of their competitiveness.

Speaking at Pakistan’s pre-departure camp in Karachi, Hesson said, “India are the benchmark in terms of white-ball cricket at the moment, and our challenge is to catch up to that. If we get an opportunity to play them, we will certainly put them under pressure.” He emphasized that while India remain the yardstick, Pakistan’s T20 side has maintained one of the strongest win percentages globally over the past 15 months.

Hesson dismissed suggestions that Pakistan’s T20 team is struggling, clarifying that the difficulties lie with the Test squad, which recently lost a 3-0 series to England. “The Test team is struggling, and we are all well aware of it. But to suggest that the T20 side is at a low is not correct,” he asserted.

Pakistan will be led by Sahibzada Farhan, who impressed with 383 runs at the 2026 T20 World Cup. The squad blends experience and youth, with four uncapped players – Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Maaz Sadaqat, and Saad Masood in the 15-member roster. Farhan’s leadership and batting prowess are expected to anchor the team as they aim to challenge India’s supremacy.

The men’s T20 competition begins on September 24, with the medal matches scheduled for October 3. While India enter as favourites, Pakistan’s youthful squad and Hesson’s confidence suggest that a potential clash could be far more competitive than recent history indicate