As a team, Pakistan is going through a difficult time. The team was eliminated from the group rounds of the ICC competitions after the T20 World Cup 2022 final. They have also had a terrible start to the Test series, losing 0-2 against the visiting Bangladeshi team. Next up, they’ll host the red-ball series against England. In the midst of all of this, former Pakistani cricket player Basit Ali disclosed a plea that Shan Masood made but was turned down.
After strong beginnings, Pakistani hitters found it difficult to score runs off of Bangladeshi bowlers, while the bowling unit also failed to capitalize on early leads. According to Basit, he has information that Pakistani captain Masood asked red-ball coach Jason Gillespie to flat-pit against England, but Gillespie told him to “shut up.”
“I’ll tell you a personal tale. Pakistani batsmen have received a stern warning from Jason Gillespie.
On his own YouTube channel, Basit stated, “He [Masood] wants the pitch to stay the same that the groundsman has prepared.”
“The batters from Pakistan desired a flat pitch, so they chopped off the grass. Gillespie wants to play on the same pitch as the pitch curator. If the game was played on grass and our bowlers picked up wickets, I would be overjoyed,” he continued.
It’s difficult to play Pakistan at home: Joe Root
When England previously played in Pakistan, they were completely dominant and went on to win the series 3-0. Given that they are both eliminated from the World Test Championship, both sides are hoping to gain the upper hand. Joe Root, an England batter, underlined that the team will learn from their previous visit and stated that the Three Lions ought to be playing at their highest level.
“Yes, we have a plan on how to play here, and that series has helped us prepare for the upcoming matches.” However, as this is a fresh series, we must perform well once more in order to triumph in Pakistan, Root stated at a press conference.
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“That series taught us a few things, but playing at home against Pakistan is difficult. Pakistan may undoubtedly benefit from their domestic circumstances, and we have a few fresh, young players who are ready to make an impression. “It seems like a promising series,” he continued.