Mike Hesson Replacements- List Of Probables For Pakistan’s Next Head Coach

Mike Hesson [Source: @Beast__07_/x.com]

When a tournament goes south, someone has to carry the can. And after Pakistan’s Super Eights exit in the T20 World Cup 2026, the limelight is firmly on white-ball head coach Mike Hesson.

It was a campaign that never really got out of second gear. Pakistan nearly bottled their opener against Netherlands before scraping through. Then came a 61-run hammering from India.

In the Super Eights, England outplayed them. Against Sri Lanka, they posted 212 but still made heavy weather of it and won by just 5 runs. In the end, the net run rate math did not favour them.

Hesson, appointed by the PCB in May 2025 as head coach for ODIs and T20Is, now finds himself in the firing line. Captain Salman Agha is also under the scanner but in Pakistan cricket, when results dip, the coach is usually first in the queue.

If the PCB decide to press the reset button, here are 3 names who could replace Mike Hesson.

Mike Hesson's replacements for Pakistan

3. Saqlain Mushtaq

If Pakistan want someone who knows the dressing room inside out, Saqlain Mushtaq ticks that box. He took over as interim head coach in September 2021 after Misbah-ul-Haq stepped down.

Under Saqlain, Pakistan reached the semi-finals of the 2021 T20 World Cup and the final of the 2022 T20 World Cup. His contract was extended in 2022 because the team responded to him. He has also worked at the PCB High Performance Centre, spotting young talent. Before that, he served as bowling consultant.

Saqlain is not shy of speaking his mind either. After the 2026 exit, he was vocal about senior players and their approach. That blunt honesty could either fix the cracks or ruffle feathers.

But one thing is certain. He understands Pakistan cricket’s chaos. And sometimes, you need a man who can handle the storm.

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2. Younis Khan

If Pakistan want steel in the dressing room, Younis Khan brings it in truckloads. He has had a complicated relationship with the PCB. He was appointed batting coach in 2020. The contract was extended but then came a fallout and an early exit. There was even a reported spat with Hasan Ali, which Younis later confirmed and brushed aside.

He has also been linked with coaching roles at Afghanistan and Pakistan Under-19. But disagreements over role clarity and selection powers stopped those moves. Younis is not the type to just stand in the corner. He wants a say, he wants authority and he wants standards high.

As a former captain who led Pakistan to a T20 World Cup title in 2009, he commands respect. The current squad could use someone who demands accountability. The question is simple. Will PCB give him the control he wants?

1. Mickey Arthur

If experience is the currency, Mickey Arthur is loaded. He was appointed head coach in 2016. Under him, Pakistan lifted the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. And not just lifted it, they smashed India by 180 runs in the final. That win still echoes in Pakistan cricket.

Arthur guided Pakistan to the number one Test ranking. They also climbed to the top in T20Is during his tenure. He knows how to build a team that peaks at the right time.

He was approached again in 2023 but turned down the head coach role. Instead, he became Pakistan’s director before stepping away.

Arthur has handled Pakistan in turbulent times before. He knows the pressure cooker environment. He knows how to turn underdogs into champions. If PCB want a safe pair of hands with a proven track record, Arthur’s name will sit right at the top of the shortlist.

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