Pakistan last played a match in Bangladesh four years ago. The current T20 captain, Salman Ali Agha, wasn’t even part of the Pakistan squad back then. Except for Khushdil Shah and Mohammad Nawaz, none of the players from that series four years ago feature in this year’s squad. Still, Bangladesh’s conditions are far from unfamiliar to Pakistan.
Why is that? The answer came during Salman Ali Agha’s press conference in Mirpur today. The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) acts as a meeting point for many Pakistani cricketers, giving them valuable experience with local conditions. Additionally, Pakistan’s coaching staff includes people who have worked in Bangladesh — fielding coach Shaun McDermott was responsible for players like Liton Das. McDermott served as Bangladesh’s fielding coach from March 2022 to November 2023.
Out of Pakistan’s 16-man squad, nine have played in the BPL: Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Haris, Saif Ayub, Fahim Ashraf, Hosain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Abbas Afridi, and Abrar Ahmed. Captain Salman has heard about their experiences playing in Bangladesh.
When asked if they discussed the conditions, Salman said, “It’s very important for us. Most players have played in the BPL, so it’s crucial to get their input and experience. We’ve talked to them, taken their input, and planned accordingly.”
Pakistan recently changed their approach to T20 cricket. Their two biggest stars, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, have not featured in this format since December last year. The topic came up again in the pre-series press conference ahead of the Bangladesh series, with questions about whether their absence was due to Pakistan wanting a more aggressive playing style.
Salman replied, “They’ve done well for Pakistan and played the way they should. But yes, T20 cricket changes every year — honestly, every six months. We now want to play differently and have players suited to that style. The players we have now are very good and exciting.”
All three matches in this series will be held at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, with the first match tomorrow. Playing aggressive cricket at Sher-e-Bangla can be tough, especially since heavy rains recently kept the pitch under covers for a long time. However, the last two days have been sunny.
Asked if Pakistan will stick to aggressive cricket regardless of conditions, Salman said, “We’ve changed our style of play and want to play like this. But it’s also important to assess conditions. We’ll see how the pitch plays and how we want to approach it. If conditions are suitable for attacking cricket, we’ll play that way. If not, we’ll adjust accordingly. Our goal is to score 10-15 runs above the average and, when bowling, keep the opposition below that average.”
