Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson has criticized the playing surface at Shere Bangla National Stadium, calling it “not up to international standards” after Pakistan’s poor performance against Bangladesh in the first T20I.
Pakistan was bowled out for just 110 runs in 19.3 overs, struggling to adapt to a difficult pitch. Though the innings started with aggressive strokes from Fakhar Zaman, the team quickly collapsed to 46 for 5. Poor shot selection and three run-outs added to the damage.
Speaking after the match, Hesson admitted that his batters misread the pitch early on but firmly stated that the surface wasn’t suitable for high-level cricket.
According to the media reports: Hesson said, “It’s not ideal for any team, especially with big tournaments like the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup ahead”.

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However, Bangladesh opener Parvez Hossain Emon, who played a match-winning innings, disagreed. He said his team managed well by adjusting quickly and could have scored more had they batted longer.
Despite the defeat, Hesson emphasized the need for better pitches that help players grow and prepare for tougher international challenges.
The second T20I will be played on Tuesday, at the same venue. “We didn’t think the pitch was bad. We chased the target in under 16 overs and could’ve scored even more if we batted longer,” Emon said.
Despite the loss, Hesson stood by his view, warning that such pitches don’t help player development.