15, 2026. (AP Photo) Tilak Varma plays a shot during the T20 World Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Feb.
Since Hesson took charge in May last year, Pakistan have lost to India three times in the 2025 Asia Cup and once at this year’s Twenty20 World Cup. India and Pakistan have never played each other at the Games but could meet in the semifinal on October 1 in Nagoya. India’s men’s team has won back-to-back T20 World Cups and will also defend their Asian Games title in Japan.
“We are certainly preparing as best we can and if we get an opportunity to play (India) we will certainly put them under pressure like we did in the final of the Asia Cup,” Hesson said, referring to last year’s final in Dubai. Hesson, however, said the team must focus on getting through the early stages before thinking about a possible semifinal against India. “There is a lot of cricket to be played between now and being able to play in the semi-final for both sides (Pakistan and India), so we are not getting too far ahead of ourselves,” Hesson said.
Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson admitted on Wednesday that his team still has ground to cover if they want to challenge India at the Asian Games. The men’s cricket competition at the Asian Games begins on Thursday.