Visiting Pakistan cricket team is looking forward to end their disastrous tour of Bangladesh with an emphasis on a particular event rather than thinking about the outcome of the final match. A demoralised Pakistan will take on high-flying Bangladesh in the second and final match of the two-match Test series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium today after the first Test ended in a draw in Khulna.
Rather hinting at any counter-attack, Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq opted to be defensive at the pre-match press conference at the SBNS.
‘I think your focus should be just to play good cricket, display your best, and that’s what we are looking forward,’ Misbah told reporters.
‘We don’t have to worry about what’s happening, what’s going to be the result in the series, we need to focus in the particular event,’ said Misbah.
‘Doesn’t matter whether it’s a situation like that, there is always pressure in international cricket’s every game. So you have to cope with that,’ he said.
Pakistan continued their dismal form in all formats so far as Bangladesh clinched the three-match one-day series against the visitors with a clean sweep.
Tigers followed it by winning the lone Twenty20 international, though it [Pakistan] appeared to be stronger by the presence of some senior players.
Later Misbah and Younis Khan came up to rescue them from despair and managed to do it to some extent before Tigers came up in their second innings with a record breaking effort by putting 556-6 after coming behind from 296 runs.
The bowlers could not make a positive impact in the match and though they had sent three teams for three formats, their bowling department largely depended on the same Juanid Khan and Wahab Riaz along with Yasir Shah and Zulfiqar Babar.
‘We are looking forward with that, we are rethinking about that, let’s see what kind of 11 we are having after taking all these points into consideration,’ said Misbah.
‘Obviously after getting a 300 runs lead and almost having two days to get us into a position we really need to improve our performance in bowling department.
‘No doubt the pitch was flat but still I think the kind of partnership they had in the second innings, both the openers got century, we have to really look forward to that.
‘Tamim is in good form, we have to stop him, get him early and obviously we have to improve our bowling,’ he said.
Misbah added that the pitch gives him confidence to do well as he feels that there will be something for his bowlers.
‘I think this pitch is a bit different from Khulna, bit bounce and pace.
‘Obviously it will be good for batting but at the same time there is always something for the bowlers, I hope you are going to have a result in this Test match,’ said Misbah.
Pakistan have so far played nine Test matches against Bangladesh and won eight out of them.
-With New Age input
