Mike Hesson: “I wouldn’t say his career is over, but he needs to improve his decision-making with the bat. Even in domestic cricket, his batting average is around 17, the same as in international cricket”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan white-ball head coach Mike Hesson has made it clear that batsman Mohammad Haris’ international career isn’t over after he was dropped from the national team.
Haris was part of Pakistan’s squad for the 2025 Asia Cup, where he amassed 131 runs in seven matches, which included a top score of 66, at an average of 21.83 and a strike-rate of 133.67.
Given his inconsistent run-scoring, the 24-year-old played no part in Pakistan’s home series against South Africa, ODI series against Sri Lanka, and the T20I tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.
Having once again found himself sidelined from the Pakistan team after a run of below-par performances, Haris must now prove his worth in domestic cricket to earn another call-up.
Hesson added that he wants the Peshawar native to improve his decision-making at the crease, suggesting that the youngster is prone to playing questionable shots on occasion.
“I wouldn’t say his career is over, but he needs to improve his decision-making with the bat. Even in domestic cricket, his batting average is around 17, the same as in international cricket,” he was quoted as saying by A Sports.
Haris was most recently in action in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (QeA Trophy), which is Pakistan’s first-class competition.
In the nine games he played for Peshawar Region, he made 534 runs, which included a hundred and four half-centuries, at an average of 38.14.
Pakistan’s next assignment will be a tour of Sri Lanka, which will comprise three T20Is that will be held in Dambulla from January 7 to 11.
However, Haris was not among the players selected in the Pakistan T20I team.
Pakistan Squad for Sri Lanka T20I Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmad, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq
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