Pakistan Test skipper Misbah-ul Haq believes his side will be able to bounce back in the ongoing bilateral series against Bangladesh when the two sides take the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium today in the first Test.
Pakistan recently experienced one of their greatest lows in cricket history, losing the three-match ODI series 3-0. The convincing defeat in the lone Twenty20 International made things worse as the side were bombarded with criticism by the media and supporters.
Misbah’s retirement from ODIs coincided with the crushing losses so a lot will be expected from the veteran middle-order batsman. His primary job will be to remove all the negative energy from the dressing room and boost the morale of his players.
“Our Test side are quite experienced and this combination has been consistently performing well for quite a long time now. It’s a different ball game and these players have a better understanding of Test cricket. Everyone in the team is in good shape and in the best of their form. Also, the condition here is similar to that of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and we are hoping to carry on the form in the format,” the 40-year old skipper told the media at SANS yesterday.
Misbah admitted that there will be pressure on his side, but then again he termed it a norm. What he and his side will be aware of though is their opposition, Bangladesh, who are in great momentum. Misbah, however, said they will come hard at the home side.
“There is always pressure in international cricket, and obviously the opposition is playing good and you have to be at your best. We are aware of them, and we have to respect the opposition as they are good at their home condition and are coming with high confidence since the [2015 ICC] World Cup,” he said.
“But, at the same time, we have also done well in the format previously against Australia and New Zealand, so we are just focusing on our strengths,” added Misbah, who retired from ODIs following the World Cup.
Misbah informed that Pakistan will be more focused on their own performance, rather than what their opponents are doing. “We have our focus and we know our strengths. We should concentrate on our basics, which is the main reason behind our recent success in this particular format. It’s important for us to break the confidence of the Bangladesh team and for this we have to play our best cricket,” he said.
Bangladesh have faced Pakistan in eight Tests and lost all of them so Misbah will be eager to maintain their unbeaten record.