Hesson Says Pakistan Must Catch Up With India in Cricket

Pakistan coach Mike Hesson said his team is preparing for the possibility of facing India in the men’s cricket competition at the Asian Games, while acknowledging that Pakistan has ground to make up in white-ball cricket. He described India as the current benchmark and said Pakistan’s challenge is to catch up. Speaking in Karachi before the team’s departure for Japan, Hesson said Pakistan would try to put India under pressure if the teams meet. He cautioned, however, that both sides have matches to play before any matchup is possible and said Pakistan was not looking too far ahead. The route to a meeting remains unclear in the available tournament accounts. Some reports say Pakistan and India could meet only in the final or bronze-medal playoff, while another says a semifinal meeting is possible. The supplied information does not resolve the discrepancy, so the teams’ possible round cannot be stated definitively. Pakistan is scheduled to enter the competition at the quarterfinal stage, with its first match set for September 28. Its progress, along with India’s, will determine whether a meeting can take place.