Hesson blames top order and death bowling for Pakistan’s loss in West Indies ODI series 2025

Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson admitted his side’s shortcomings with both bat and ball following a 2-1 series defeat to the West Indies in the ODI series 2025 leg of their tour, calling the result "very disappointing" while acknowledging some individual gains amidst the frustration.

Speaking after the final ODI in Trinidad, Hesson said the team let key opportunities slip across the series, especially in the second match which Pakistan had “by the scruff of the neck” but failed to close out.

“We weren’t able to grab that opportunity,” he said. “In today’s game, I thought for the first 35 overs with the ball we were exceptional. Unfortunately, we didn’t decide when to go to plan B and didn’t have enough defensive options.”

Hesson pointed to a lack of execution in death bowling, particularly failing to bowl consistent Yorkers or mix up deliveries effectively.

“We were able to bowl some good Yorkers but also gave too many balls in the slot,” he observed. “That’s something we have to improve.”

With the bat, the head coach lamented the lack of substance at the top of the order in all three games. “We weren’t able to get ourselves set up in any of the games,” he said. “We need that high-quality top order to give us a platform.”

Despite the series loss, Hesson highlighted a few bright spots. Young batter Hassan Nawaz was praised for his impressive performances in what was his first ODI series. “He’s been exceptional and would’ve got plenty of confidence from that,” Hesson said.

Middle-order batter Hussain Talat also drew positive remarks. “He showed some skill with the bat as well. So we’re developing a little bit of depth there,” Hesson added.

Pakistan’s spin department received high praise for their consistent performances throughout the series, with the coach noting, “I thought our spin bowlers were exceptional.”

Fielding was another area where Hesson saw improvement, but he reiterated that depth bowling and top-order consistency remained key concerns heading into future campaigns.

“Some positives to take away, but still plenty of work on,” Hesson concluded.

The ODI defeat follows Pakistan’s 2-1 win in the preceding T20I series on the same tour. With the Asia Cup and ICC Champions Trophy ahead, Hesson and his coaching staff face a tight window to plug the gaps and finalize combinations.