Pakistan enter the Asia Cup 2025 with plenty of focus on their spin attack and head coach Mike Hesson is making sure the spotlight is firmly on them. Ahead of the clash against India, Hesson expressed confidence in his side's bowling depth - singling out Mohammed Nawaz as a key figure.
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The left-arm spinner recently starred with a five-wicket haul in the tri-nation final against Afghanistan and Hesson believes he can make a decisive impact in the tournament.
Mike Hesson hails Mohammed Nawaz as world's best spinner
Speaking at a press conference, Hesson described Nawaz as the top spinner in world cricket at the moment - insisting that Pakistan's bowling balance gives them an edge regardless of conditions.
"We've got Mohammed Nawaz, who's the best spin bowler in the world at the moment, and he's been ranked that way over the last six months since he came back into the side," Hesson said.
However, his claim raised eyebrows - given that Nawaz is currently placed outside the top 15 in the ICC T20I rankings.
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Pakistan's spin-heavy options for Asia Cup
Hesson highlighted that Pakistan have as many as five spinners in the squad - including Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem, Salman Ali Agha and even part-timer Saim Ayub, who also features in the ICC's top-10 all-rounders list.
At the same time, he stressed the flexibility of having a strong pace attack to adapt to different pitches.
"If conditions suit spin, we've got options. If not, we've got pacers who can give us airspeed, reverse swing or variations," Hesson explained.
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While praising Pakistan's bowling, Hesson admitted that the batting line-up is still developing with players like Saim Ayub and Muhammad Haris in the squad. He insisted that Pakistan's collective approach as a batting group has helped them post competitive scores in recent matches.
The coach added that he is excited about experiencing the charged atmosphere of the India-Pakistan clash from the dugout - calling it one of the biggest stages in world cricket.
With confidence in their spin attack and hopes of batting improvement, Pakistan are looking to make a strong statement in this Asia Cup.