Overview
- Pakistan beat a weakened Australian side at Rawalpindi on May 30 where debutant Arafat Minhas took 5 for 32 and spinners bowled the bulk of the overs.
- Hesson pushed back on critics who said spin-friendly tracks are poor World Cup preparation and said those critiques ignore venue variety across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
- The coach said Pakistan’s management has completed research and will use the next 18 months to expose the squad to different pitch types and match situations.
- Selection and tactics in Rawalpindi showed a deliberate spin-first plan with only two specialist pacers used and spinners bowling most overs, a choice critics say is tempered by Australia fielding a second-string side.
- Coverage notes Pakistan’s 2024 series in South Africa — including a spin-influenced match at Paarl — as evidence that not all South African venues favour pace and that the World Cup will present mixed conditions.