The complete control that white-ball head coach Mike Hesson has over player selection has angered Pakistan’s national selectors.
At a press conference in Lahore on Saturday, selectors Aaqib Javed, Misbah ul Haq, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Asad Shafiq stated that they had requested that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) examine the national team’s selection process following the team’s return from Bangladesh.
“Once the team returns home we will sit down and discuss things with the coaches and captain and find a suitable selection system for the national team,” Aaqib, the senior selector, said.
The head of the High Performance Center, Aaqib, said that prior to Hesson taking over in May of last year, the selectors were even involved in choosing the starting lineup for both home and away games.
A question about whether Hesson had been under pressure to play Babar Azam and a few other players at the most recent T20 World Cup was dismissed by him.
“The selectors give and gave a list of 21 players to the head coach and captain and they shortlisted 15 players and decide on the playing IX for each match,” he said.
The Pakistani media has reported on tensions between the selectors and Hesson after Pakistan was eliminated from the T20 World Cup at the Super 8 round. Senior selector Aleem Dar also quit shortly after the competition.
Despite not making a statement, he reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with Hesson’s complete control over the selection of Pakistani players, according to media reports.
According to Aaqib, in the recent past, after shortlisting 15 or 16 players for any series or tournament, the selectors would even choose the starting lineup.
“The system changed in recent times but after the team returns home we will reviewing it,” he added.
He stated that the selectors thought the captain was the most important person, followed by the head coach, and that while they should have authority and support, they also need to be able to talk about and explain their future plans to the selectors.
Aaqib attempted to defend the team’s recent results. Aaqib has been active with the PCB in various positions and served as temporary head coach for a few months in 2024–2025.
He questioned whether this occurred in any other cricket-playing country and attributed the current issues to the quick changes in Pakistan’s cricket team, including players, officials, coaches, and selectors.
“As soon as we lose any match, series or don’t do well in a tournament there is criticism from everywhere and calls for changes are made and there is a lack of tolerance and patience from critics and it has not helped Pakistan cricket,” he said.
