Rain washes out opening day of Pakistan-Bangladesh second Test
Heavy rain washed out the first day of the second and final Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on Friday.
Overnight downpours delayed the toss and after more monsoon rains, umpires abandoned play for the day shortly after midday.
“The first day’s play has been called off due to persistent rain and wet outfield,” Pakistan Cricket Board said.
Both teams were still in their hotel and umpires were to inspect the ground only after the rain stopped, with the met office forecasting intermittent monsoon rain.
It was a bad omen for a Pakistan team desperate to square the two-match series after Bangladesh won the first Test, also in Rawalpindi, on Sunday.
Bangladesh’s 10-wicket victory was their first in 14 Tests against Pakistan.
Pakistan have left out pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi from their 12-member squad, allowing him time to spend with his newly born son.
A Shan Masood-led team with an all-pace bowling attack suffered a stunning loss to Bangladesh on the final day of the first Test at the Pindi Cricket Stadium last Sunday and now face a must-win task in the second Test.
Bangladesh on the other hand are looking to record a historic first Test series victory over Pakistan.
‘Ruthless with discipline’
Jason Gillespie, Pakistan’s red ball coach, has said the bowlers would need to embrace a ruthless approach in the final Test.
“Our [over] rates were very poor in first Test and that is unacceptable, as simple as that,” Gillespie said adding that the bowlers will play this match with a new approach in order to make an all-out effort to take 20 wickets.
“We want to be ruthless with discipline and line and length. We want to keep going at the [opponent] batsmen. We want to keep hitting good spots on the pitch, challenging the opposition’s defence constantly again and again.”
Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe meanwhile sounded upbeat saying his side could repeat heroics from the first Test.
“Obviously beating Pakistan in Pakistan is not an easy task,” he said. “[But] the morale of the players is very, very good,”
Despite a huge 10-wicket win in the first Test, Hathurusinghe said, the second Test would be a major challenge for the visitors.
Pakistan squad: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Abrar Ahmed, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha.
