‘Where Are His Brains?’: Shoaib Akhtar’s Scathing Attack At PAK Coach Mike Hesson | Cricket News

Former Pakistan fast-bowler Shoaib Akhtar launched a scathing attack at Mike Hesson, the men’s coach, for his team selection in the 2025 Asia Cup Super-Four clash against India. Akhtar said Hesson was ‘senseless’ to pick all-rounder Hussain Talat in the team, saying analysing his decisions makes the pacer feel like a ‘fraud’.

Talat, a batting all-rounder, had played 19 T20s before the India game as an all-rounder. He and bowling all-rounder Faheem Ashraf were included in place of Khushdil Shah and Hasan Nawaz. Talat scored 10 (11) in the first innings with no fours or sixes and then wasn’t called up with the ball. Ashraf had a much better performance, scoring a brilliant cameo of 20 (8) while also picking up one wicket for 31 runs in his four overs.

“The coach should be asked the questions – where are his brains?” Akhtar said on the ‘Game On Hai’ programme. “It is just senseless coaching and senseless selection of the team. It is beyond me, it feels like I am the one who is a fraud, who doesn’t understand a thing after playing 15 years of cricket. In the last five-six games, we have been saying just play the right team. In an important fixture, you thought about playing Hussain Talat? How did you even think about it? What is his utility? Tell me,” he added.

Pakistan lost the match by six wickets, and are now on the bring of losing out on a spot in the Asia Cup final, with matches to go against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in the Super Four stage.

Akhtar explains how to fix Pakistan cricket

Akhtar was also asked how he would go about fixing the Pakistan men’s cricket setup, which hasn’t seen an ICC trophy since 2017, with performances seeing more new lows than highs.

“First of all, PCB will never ask me to do this job. The reason is that I’m going to do the right thing, whatever is necessary. I’m not saying give me the power. I believe in teamwork. I believe in logic. I believe in working together. It’s not about ‘give me the power and I’ll fix it.’ No, no, no, it’s not like that. I would rather have a 20-member selection committee. I will take their advice: ‘What do you guys say? Tell me,’” Akhtar explained.

“To fix Pakistan cricket, if I am given three years and handed the command, the children must be given confidence. I will tell them ‘Saim Ayub, son, go play… No problem, you won’t get dropped if you get out,’” he added.

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