Hesson Lauds Pakistan’s T20 World Cup Prep Despite Fielding Woes

In humid Dambulla, Pakistan got exactly what they came for: a hard, low-scoring workout in Sri Lankan conditions that will define their entire T20 World Cup campaign. For Mike Hesson, it was close to the ideal outing – if only the fielding had kept up.

Babar the glue, fielding the flaw in Dambulla tune-up

Pakistan have based themselves in Sri Lanka to mirror World Cup conditions, even if Dambulla itself is not a tournament venue. The surfaces here behave much like Khettarama, SSC and Pallekele – plenty of grip for spinners, variable bounce, and a constant test of batters’ discipline. That is exactly why this series matters more than the scoreline.

Head of team strategy Mike Hesson was quick to underline the positives: the powerplay plans clicked, the bowling units rotated smoothly, and the batting tempo matched what a subcontinental World Cup demands. At the heart of it all was Babar Azam, still in T20 overdrive after his BBL stint, stitching the innings together while others played around him.

Hesson described Babar as the glue that keeps this batting card from fraying under pressure, the anchor who allows the stroke-makers to go harder in the middle and death overs. The concern, though, was familiar to any Pakistan fan: catching and ground fielding that lagged behind the rest of the skill set, turning routine chances into pressure moments.

"Babar is the glue that brings everyone together." — Mike Hesson

For Pakistan, these early misfields in Dambulla might be a blessing in disguise. Fix them now, and they walk into the World Cup venues in Sri Lanka as a far more complete unit. Ignore them, and even Babar’s control and Hesson’s planning may not be enough when knockout pressure hits.