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Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim, according to Bangladesh’s spin-bowling guru Mushtaq Ahmed, have raised the team’s spirits ahead of the Test series against Pakistan.
“All the players are excited about the first Test match,” Mushtaq said. “Shakib and Mushfiqur Rahim are the senior players. They are playing a positive role with the guys. I also give credit to the management who has been good with the players. The focus is on cricket now.”
Following political unrest in Dhaka that prevented the BCB from setting up a full team practise with head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe, the Bangladeshi players accepted an offer from the PCB and travelled to Pakistan on August 13. Shakib arrived in Lahore on Wednesday, and a few hours later, he began practicing with the team.
Prior to it, he had a busy week while competing for Bangla Tigers Mississauga in the Global T20 Canada. On August 5, just hours after Bangladesh’s Awami League government collapsed and prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India, he participated in a match. Shakib was jeered by supporters throughout the game and therefore lost his position in the parliament.
In Islamabad, Mushfiqur is currently engaged in a four-day match versus Pakistan A. A Bangladesh A tour that is closely linked to the senior team’s tour of the same nation is quite uncommon. Mushfiqur, who hasn’t played a Test in ten months, finally got some much-needed playing time despite the rain disrupting the match. Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Nayeem Hasan, and Hasan Mahmud are among the other red-ball regulars participating in this game.
Bangladesh’s sole overseas Test series victory came against the West Indies in 2009. However, Mushtaq thinks they could begin to win more away Test matches.
“A cricketer has to have basics and belief to do well at this level, otherwise he loses the battle,” Mushtaq said. “Skill-level looks after itself. We will give them the belief that you can beat anyone. Bangladesh is a good side. You saw that they challenged good teams in the World Cup. They are getting good fast bowlers. They are going towards a good direction. If they keep learning and keep believing in themselves, hopefully, they can start winning games outside.”