Hesson Sees Final as Big Chance for Babar and Fakhar

Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson believes the tri-series final against Sri Lanka offers a major opportunity for senior batters Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman to recover their form. The match will take place on Saturday at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Both players have had a difficult tournament, and Pakistan will need them to find their touch if the team is to lift the title.

Hesson said Pakistan's qualification for the final, even without big performances from its top names, reflects the growing strength of the squad. He views it as a sign that the team is capable of finding ways to win.

He described Fakhar and Babar as two of the greatest players Pakistan has produced and said he expects them to perform in important matches. The pressure of a final, he suggested, could be exactly the setting that experienced batters need to rediscover their rhythm.

The coach also linked the match to the 2027 ODI World Cup, which is drawing closer. He emphasised that consistent contributions from the top order will be crucial to the team's ambitions in the 50-over format.

Hesson added that several key players are searching for a performance that can win a game, and that the final is the ideal place to find it.

On the team's recent results, he said the previous few weeks had been good. Pakistan has played solid cricket without reaching perfection, and winning three consecutive matches without some of its key players making big contributions is a positive development. He maintained that the team has not yet produced its best cricket and hopes to hold that back for the final.

Saim Ayub, who also faced a tough run in the tournament, has been released from the squad, and Sahibzada Farhan has joined the team. Pakistan now looks to its senior batters to deliver in the title decider.