DHAKA, Aug 29, 2024 (BSS)-Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha wants 
his side to replicate the performance of the first match as the Tigers gear 
up for a maiden Test series victory over Pakistan.

Bangladesh batters applied them well in the first Test and it was key to 
their landmark 10-wicket victory in the first Test.

The batters showed a rare grit and stubbornness to occupy the crease for a 
long time to wear down the Pakistani bowling attack and laid the foundation 
of the victory. 

Hathurusingha praised the batters' approach and insisted to keep it up when 
Bangladesh take on Pakistan for the series deciding game at Rawalpindi 
tomorrow (Friday).

"If you remember we played on very really result oriented pitches previously 
and so in those pitches if you score 250, 230 or 260.. that's a winning score 
which has happened against New Zealand and even to Sri Lanka to certain 
extent although we were on the receiving end," Hathurusingha said in a press 
conference at Rawalpindi today.

"Our application and game plan were slightly different for this Test match. 
We talked about spending time in the middle, getting their fast bowlers to 
come and bowl second and third spells, so I think that mindset changed (and) 
the approach was different. Our game plan was slightly different because of 
the condition, I think that helped a lot to put up a good show with the bat."

In his first term, Hathurusingha adopted a policy to play on rank turner at 
home pitch and it paid dividends as Bangladesh beat teams like England and 
Australia. But playing in rank turner didn't help them when they play outside 
of the country.

In his second term, Hathurusingha changed his policy and agreed with the team 
management's plan to play on better wicket at home as Bangladesh eyed to win 
regular in overseas condition.

Playing on result oriented wicket didn't give them immense success as they 
drew series with New Zealand by 1-1 and lost 2-0 against Sri Lanka but it 
helped the batters hone the skill of scoring big runs on better wicket. 

While Mushfiqur Rahim played the vital role by hitting 191, it was the 
openers who set the tone in the first Test. Opener Shadman Islam made 93 
while Zakir though didn't do anything worthy but occupied the crease for a 
long time to take the shine off the cherry. 

"I think it's important that you have good partnership early on like 
especially those 12 overs. The openers gave us a lot of confidence and 
control of the game on the third day morning. And then Mominul and Sadman put 
on a partnership of 90 runs and then Liton and (Mehidy Hasan) Miraz 
capitalized on that good platform," Hathurusingha opined.

The maiden Test victory against Pakistan came at a moment when the country 
was going through tough times. Following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led 
government, changes have come in BCB also.

The new BCB boss Faruque Ahmed had no good rapport with Hathurusingha and 
that was no secret. Hathurusingha said, he would like to talk to new 
leadership to understand their views.

"I understand when there is a new leadership comes in, they have their views 
but I am looking forward to go and get a chance to speak to them that's 
number one," he said. 

"The other one is my job is to prepare the team the best I can and then 
whatever the hard work we have done in the last few months and (it's) no 
different and that's our focus for the next game."

Hathurusingha, however, knows that Pakistan will come back hard but he 
expects Bangladesh to put up another good show to win the series. 

"The morale is really good for obvious reasons. Beating Pakistan in Pakistan 
it's not an easy task, they are a really good and strong team. Still we 
expect a really good fight in the second game as well and so morale is high," 
he said, adding that Bangladesh may break the winning combination if 
condition demands.

"We might have a few changes depending on the conditions tomorrow when we 
look at the pitch because we didn't get to look at the pitch today. It was 
covered and definitely the weather is slightly different than the last game."