In the second game, Pakistan should put up a strong fight: Chandika Hathurusinghe, head coach of Bangladesh

In the first match of the two-match series, Bangladesh made history by defeating Pakistan for the first time ever in a Test match. On the other side, head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe of Bangladesh believes Shan Masood’s team will mount a great comeback in the second and final Test match, which kicks off at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday, August 30.

Bangladesh won the first Test by 10 wickets thanks to an outstanding century from Mushfiqur Rahim and a strong bowling effort in Pakistan’s second innings. The Bangla Tigers can win a rare away red-ball series if they win or draw the second Test. Regarding Bangladesh’s lineup for the second Test, Hathurusinghe played it close to the vest while acknowledging Pakistan’s strength.

“There are clear reasons why the morale is high. It is not an easy undertaking to defeat Pakistan in Pakistan. They make up a formidable and excellent team. However, we anticipate a fantastic battle in the second game as well. Depending on the circumstances when we assess the pitch tomorrow, we may make a few adjustments.

The weather is a little different from the previous game, therefore we didn’t get to view the pitch today,” Chandika Hathurusinghe was cited by India Today as saying.

According to the 55-year-old, the strategy for the first Test was to bat for as long as possible on the serene Rawalpindi pitch. He emphasised that, in contrast to Bangladeshi tracks that are more suitable for spinners, the Rawalpindi track was great for batting, which is largely why Bangladesh was able to produce the large partnerships that they did in their opening innings.

We discussed putting in some middle innings and asking their quick bowlers to bowl second and third spells. The conditions made us adapt our approach, shift our thinking, and slightly modify our game plan. That was really helpful in putting up a strong display with the bat,” Hathurusinghe said.

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Mushfiqur put the visitors in a strong position with a superb 191 off 341 balls in the first innings, and he also shared a 196-run stand with Mehidy Hasan Miraz (77). In an attempt to build on their historic victory in the opening Test, Hathurusinghe anticipates another strong batting performance from his group.