Basit Ali makes 'only rain can save Bangladesh' prediction; warns Jason Gillespie against adopting Australian mindset for Pakistan

Former Pakistan batter and coach Basit Ali has delivered a bold prediction about the Shan Masood-led Pakistan Cricket Team for the upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh, starting on August 21 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi.

The former Pakistan selector Basit Ali predicted that the hosts will whitewash Bangladesh in the upcoming two-match Test series. Ali believes that the only factor that might prevent a one-sided result is the possibility of rain in the upcoming Test series.

Only rain can save Bangladesh from Pakistan: Basit Ali

The former Pakistan Women's head coach Basit Ali further went on to argue that the home advantage will heavily favor the Pakistan team and boost their chances of dominating the upcoming two-match Test series against the Tigers later this month.

Basit Ali also pointed out Pakistan’s strong performance against Bangladesh in previous encounters, including victories in Bangladesh, which highlights that they are favorites to lift the trophy with a 2-0 series win at home.

With the advantage of familiar conditions and past successes, Basit Ali is expecting the Pakistan cricket team not to allow Bangladesh to win a single match in the upcoming Test series, which is part of the WTC 2024-25 cycle.

Basit Ali said on his YouTube channel: “Only rain can save Bangladesh; otherwise, there is no comparison. Pakistan will have a big advantage in the home conditions. Pakistan have also beaten Bangladesh in Tests in Bangladesh.”

Ali warns Jason Gillespie about implementing the Australian mindset within the Pakistan team

Meanwhile, Jason Gillespie, the former Australian fast bowler, has recently joined the Pakistan team as their red-ball head coach. Gillespie is all set to begin his journey as Pakistan's red-ball head coach with the upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh.

Ahead of the home Test series against Bangladesh, the former Pakistan coach has advised Gillespie to avoid imposing an Australian approach on the Pakistani players. Instead, he should focus on leveraging their existing skills and strengths to maximize their performance in the format.

Basit Ali signed off by saying, “Pakistan have roped in Australia's Jason Gillespie. It remains to be seen if we will play with an Australian mindset or not. If Gillespie tries to implement the Australian mindset within the Pakistan team, it will be a big mistake.”

PCB slashes ticket prices to boost attendance for Pakistan-Bangladesh Series

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is implementing an innovative strategy to boost fan attendance by setting exceptionally low ticket prices for the Pakistan versus Bangladesh Test series. Tickets for the upcoming Test series are priced as low as 15 rupees in Indian currency (50 PKR) to attract large crowds to the venues in Rawalpindi and Karachi.

With this surprising move, the PCB is aiming to address the worries about empty attendance at cricket events in Pakistan. In Rawalpindi, premium seating is available for 200 PKR, while VIP seats are priced at 500 PKR on weekdays and 600 PKR on weekends.

Notably, the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh is very crucial for Pakistan, as they aim to earn crucial points in the 2023-2025 World Test Championship cycle. Currently, the Pakistan team is ranked fifth in the WTC 2024-25 standings with 36.66 Points Percentage (PCT), having won two matches and suffered three losses from their five WTC matches.