DT
26 Sport
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
Nothing but a win will suffice for confident Mushfiq n Minhaz Uddin Khan from Khulna An upbeat Bangladesh will be eyeing to continue their supremacy over Pakistan when the two sides take on each other today in the first Test at Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium. And on the eve of the first Test, skipper Mushfiqur Rahim’s message was quite clear: No team plays a Test to draw or lose and it will not be different for us either. “Our aim is of course to win the game. We won matches in the last session in our previous two Tests (against Zimbabwe) so it is not that easy. We have the confidence and belief that our bowlers are capable of picking 20 wickets and our batsmen are capable of scoring 600 runs. And, if the fielders do their job well, I think a win is very much possible,” Mushfiq told the media yesterday in the preTest press conference. “We did not have any win against them in the last 16 years but now, we have ended up winning all the matches against them. Many said they have sent a weak team but if you ask me, we knew what we were up against. It is very natural that when we score runs it is said that the opponent bowlers are not that good and when we fail, they say we cannot bat against a weak attack. This is our culture but to be honest it is not like that for us,” he said. Bangladesh have faced Pakistan in eight Tests and have lost all of them. The closest the Tigers came to winning a Test against Pakistan was back in 2003. Pakistan narrowly avoided defeat and snatched a one-wicket victory at the last moment, riding on the then Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq’s unbeaten knock of 138.
Tour Tidbits
n Minhaz Uddin Khan from Khulna
Mushfiq – first in, last out Bangladesh Test captain Mushfiqur Rahim is experiencing a brilliant run of form with the bat but this should not come as a surprise as he had to work extremely hard. One of the most disciplined cricketers around, Mushfiq might not be immensely talented as all-rounder Shakib al Hasan or opener Tamim Iqbal but his loyalty towards the gentleman’s game is rivalled by no other. He caught everyone’s attention in Khulna with his dedication in the practice sessions. Accompanied by the team-boy, Mushfiq arrived at Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium a full 40 minutes before training was scheduled to begin. The 26-year old was seen knocking at the nets prior to the training session. And following the conclusion of the practice session, he was the last to leave the ground as he did some more knocking and extra training. As the saying goes, practice makes a man perfect.
Parse Fish confuses Pakistan cricketers Bangladesh batsman Mahmudullah plays football with his teammates during training session in Khulna yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK Mushfiq informed that he remembers the game vividly and said they will be looking to right the wrongs of the past. The 26-year old, however, said it will not be easy against Pakistan as they are the world’s fourth-best Test side. Mushfiq added that he will be looking to lead the side from the front with his batting and he will not be short of confidence on that front, having blasted a century and fifty in the just-concluded three-match ODI series.
“This plays a vital role in any format. It always has a positive impact on the team when a captain scores runs, takes wickets or makes right decisions. This is what a team want from a captain eventually. The captain should lead from the front. We have the gameplan and it will be expected that those in form will do their responsibility well. And, my aim will be to play a big innings for the team,” he concluded. l
“Parse Fish Do-Pyaza” is a trademark culinary dish in Khulna. The salty and moist taste of the sea-fish does not fail to capture the imagination and the tourists are always encouraged by the locals to give the delicious dish a try. Pakistan Test captain Misbah-ul Haq, spinner Saeed Ajmal, spin-bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed and a few others visited the team hotel’s restaurant yesterday night for dinner. Misbah was probably the one who asked the waiter to suggest a local fish. The waiter duly said “Parse Fish” without hesitation but the dish being a rare one, unknown to even most of the Bangladeshis, had the Pakistan cricketers confused. The waiter though cleared their confusion and explained the dish in details. Bangladesh cricketers
Tickets selling like hot cakes n Hedait Hossain, Khulna
A huge crowd queues up in front of the ticket-counter in Khulna yesterday
MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK
Coloured clothing will now make way for white outfit as Bangladesh take on Pakistan today in the first of two Test matches at Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium. The dominant Tigers swept the threematch ODI series and the lone Twenty20 international and the mood in the Bangladesh camp is at an all-time high as they prepare for their first Test this year. Coupled with their performance in the 2015 ICC World Cup, the Tigers have given the people of Khulna every reason to flock to the field today. The cricket-mad faithful of the south-western city have duly obliged as the craze for tickets was quite visible yesterday. A huge crowd started gathering in front of the two designated United Commercial Bank Limited branches last Sunday night even
though the tickets were scheduled to be sold yesterday. Seezan, who lives at Dowlotput, said he had to wait a whole night in order to collect the tickets. Others, however, were not so lucky as they did not get tickets even after standing in the line for the entirety of Sunday night. According to Mohammad Moslehuddin, UCB vice president and chief of Khulna branch, only those who had booked their tickets via Ucash were able to acquire their allotment without any hassle while those who came to purchase tickets directly faced some trouble. At one stage, the law enforcement authorities had to take control after the crowd went wild. The situation though soon came under control. Bangladesh last played a Test in Khulna in November last year, against Zimbabwe. On that occasion, the Tigers thrashed the southern African nation by a huge margin of 162 runs. l