Zakir Hasan reveals Bangladesh's strategy to counter Pakistan’s pace attack in Test series

As Bangladesh gears up for their two-Test series against Pakistan later this month, Bangladesh cricket team opener Zakir Hasan has provided insights into his team's preparation strategies for the upcoming challenges.

Ahead of the Test series, Hasan acknowledged the formidable challenge posed by Pakistan’s pace attack, which he described as world-class. Hasan revealed that the Bangladeshi batters have been thoroughly preparing to tackle one of the most challenging bowling attacks by conducting intensive training camps and reviewing video footage of Pakistani bowlers.

Zakir Hasan opens up about Bangladesh’s intense preparation for Pakistan Test series

With this strategy, Bangladesh is aiming to prepare the players with the necessary skills and strategies to handle the pace and bounce of the Pakistani bowlers effectively. Hasan, who has not yet played a Test match in Pakistan, is looking forward to the opportunity to gain firsthand experience of the conditions.

The star opener also revealed that the Bangladesh cricket team is also set to participate in an A-team match ahead of the two-match Test series, which will further help them adapt to the Pakistan pitches and conditions.

Zakir Hasan was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz: “If you look at the Pakistan bowlers, they have always been really good... they have world-class bowlers. So, if you play Test or any format against them, it will be tough and challenging to face their pace bowlers. At the same time, we are also working on that and have worked on that in the camps and also seen the video analysis.

So, we have tried to take preparations accordingly. Now let's see. We have an A-team match there. I once played a one-day there in the emerging Asia Cup but never played a Test. Hopefully, if I get to play a test there, I'll get a better understanding of the wicket.”

On the challenge of Pakistan's reverse swing, Zakir said: “It's a big factor (reverse swing). If you see, their bowlers are really good at reversing the ball when it becomes old. So, what I think is that even if we are set, the reversing balls will be a challenge.”

Bangladesh 'A' team to play crucial matches in Pakistan ahead of Test series

The Bangladesh ‘A’ team is set to play two four-day matches against the Shaheens in Pakistan as part of their preparation for the upcoming Test series. Zakir said that Bangladesh has followed the practice by India to send the ‘A’ team in advance to Pakistan for the four-day matches, as the players will gain valuable experience and acclimatize to the local conditions before the main squad arrives for the Test series.

This early exposure will allow the Bangladesh team to better understand the playing environment and make necessary adjustments, which will eventually help them to improve their overall preparation. Additionally, this strategy will provide a chance for both national team players and those on the fringes to get ready and fine-tune their skills in preparation for the Tests, according to Zakir.

The two-match Test series between Pakistan and Bangladesh will start on August 21 in Rawalpindi. The second and final Test will be played in Karachi from August 30.