Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz (C) celebrates after the dismissal of Pakistan’s Saim Ayub during the second day of second and last Test of the two-match series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Saturday. – AFP PHOTO
Bangladesh’s pace bowler Taskin Ahmed credited the bowling unit for keeping their nerves under pressure and ending the day on a good note on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi on Saturday.
Bangladesh, who ended the day on 10 runs without any loss, bowled Pakistan out for 274 runs and that too after the home team had been well-placed on 99-1 at lunch.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz grabbed five wickets while Taskin Ahmed, who returned to Test cricket after a gap of one and a half years as he wanted to recover fully from his shoulder injury, grabbed three wickets.
“Overall, our whole bowling unit did well today. They started pretty well after the first wicket, they had a good decent partnership and we came back well and finished well. Match didn’t finish yet, long way to go result is the main thing we are looking forward to it,” Taskin said after the game.
“When we tried to attack early on they scored and had a good partnership and after lunch we had some meetings and plans and we executed them and defended them in low total. The thing is you can do so many plans but you need to execute well and we executed well and according to plan we bowled and got them out,” he said.
“It is most important to take the lead because I feel the wicket is sporting and there is help for bowlers and batsmen and fast bowlers and spinners are getting help from it and it is important for the batsman. If we can put up a good total on the board by batting the whole day the result will come our way,” he further added.
“They have a very good bowling side as well. I haven’t seen them much but what I saw from the first test was really good for the batters make the new ball old and then you will benefit. But still, there is a lot to do like we have to bat well and bowl well in the second innings and win the game and nothing is finished yet. We did well we could have done better and we hope to do well,” he said adding that he is impressed with pacer Nahid Rana.
“Nahid Rana is a great prospect for us he can bowl high on 140 consistently and he can bowl around 150 so he is a great prospect for us and he is getting better and learning,” he said.
Taskin also said that he still hasn’t got the rhythm that he would have liked to play Test cricket but added that he is expecting to get better in the second innings.
“It’s great to be back in Test cricket after one and a half years, I really enjoyed but I struggled a bit it will be fine from the next innings there are some adaption things (that need to be done),” he said.
“I am working on different things like I am playing for a long time and have to adapt in a different format and that is my duty as an experienced and senior bowler,” he said adding that he liked the way he got Abdullah Shafique out in the first innings.
“That wicket (Abdullah Shafique) was really enjoyable for me, first I set him with away ones while the last one I brought him in and that happened and that was intentional and that’s why I am really happy about this wicket. You know sometimes I won’t get wicket but the process has to be the same. Still, I am learning and played almost ten years so that’s how I learned,” he concluded, who finished with 3-57 from his 17 overs.
