ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s new-ball bowler Mohammad Abbas remained optimistic despite missed opportunities on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka, expressing confidence that Pakistan’s bowlers could make decisive inroads with the new ball on the second morning.
Speaking to the media after the close of play at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Friday, Abbas admitted luck had not favoured Pakistan throughout the day, but insisted the visitors were still firmly in the contest.
Bangladesh ended the opening day in a strong position after their top and middle order displayed resilience against a disciplined Pakistan bowling attack. However, Abbas believed the nature of the wicket and the availability of a relatively fresh ball could still shift the momentum in Pakistan’s favour.
“Throughout the day the ball kept beating the bat. We created opportunities and also missed a few chances in between. Despite that, I feel we are still in a good position to strike early and put pressure on Bangladesh’s middle and lower order on the second morning,” Abbas said.
The experienced pacer praised the surface for offering assistance to seamers, saying the conditions were more challenging than the scorecard suggested.
“The wicket may look greenish from the top, but it is dry underneath. Fast bowlers have to put in extra effort and really bend their backs to get maximum assistance from it. Overall, the pitch has enough in it for the bowlers and had luck been on our side, the situation could have been very different,” he added.
Pakistan bowlers repeatedly troubled the Bangladesh batsmen during the day but failed to convert several half-chances. Abbas, however, acknowledged the quality of Bangladesh’s batting effort, particularly the composed innings played by captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and veteran batter Mominul Haque.
“We certainly had our moments. There were several occasions when the ball passed very close to the edge, but credit also goes to the Bangladesh batsmen. Shanto and Mominul batted with great discipline and made the most of the opportunities they got,” Abbas remarked.
The pacer also addressed concerns over Pakistan conceding eight no-balls on the opening day, an issue that allowed Bangladesh batsmen breathing space at crucial moments. “I bowled two no-balls myself because I was trying to put in extra effort and push harder. But yes, even we were surprised to see Nauman Ali overstepping a few times. These are things we need to control better,” he admitted.
Defending Pakistan captain Shan Masood’s decision to bowl first after winning the toss, Abbas insisted the move was entirely justified considering the conditions. “Looking at the nature of the pitch, I believe it was the right decision. Any captain seeing that surface in the morning would have opted to bowl first,” he said. Abbas also spoke about the challenge Pakistan would face in the absence of star batter Babar Azam, whose omission has shifted added responsibility onto the remaining batting line-up.
“There is no doubt that Babar’s absence will be felt because he is one of the world’s best batsmen. But we still have experienced players in the side who are capable of playing long innings under pressure,” Abbas stated.
The pacer backed Pakistan’s new Test debutants, saying both youngsters had earned their place through strong domestic performances. “Abdullah Fazal and Azam Awais have scored heavily in domestic cricket and shown great temperament. Hopefully they will carry that form and confidence into Test cricket as well,” he concluded.
