Former Pakistan batsman and coach Basit Ali has made a bold prediction about the Shan Masood-led Pakistan cricket team for the upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh, which will begin on August 21 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi.
Former Pakistan coach Basit Ali has predicted that the hosts will defeat Bangladesh in the upcoming two-match Test series. Ali believes that the only factor that could prevent a one-sided result is the possibility of rain in the upcoming Test series.
Basit Ali: Only rain can save Bangladesh from Pakistan
Former Pakistan women’s national team head coach Basit Ali went on to argue that home advantage will greatly favour the Pakistan team and boost their chances of dominating the upcoming two-match Test series against the Tigers later this month.
Basit Ali also highlighted Pakistan’s strong performance against Bangladesh in previous encounters, including victories in Bangladesh, highlighting that they are favourites to lift the trophy with a 2-0 series win at home.
With the advantage of familiar conditions and past successes, Basit Ali hopes that the Pakistan cricket team will not let Bangladesh win a single match in the upcoming Test series, which is part of the 2024-25 WTC cycle.
Basit Ali said on his YouTube channel: “Only rain can save Bangladesh otherwise there is no comparison. Pakistan will have a huge advantage in the home conditions. Pakistan has also beaten Bangladesh in Tests in Bangladesh.”
Ali warns Jason Gillespie about implementing Australian mentality in Pakistan team
Meanwhile, former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie has recently joined the Pakistan team as the head red-ball coach. Gillespie is all set to begin his journey as Pakistan’s head red-ball coach with the upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh.
Ahead of the home series against Bangladesh, the former Pakistan coach has advised Gillespie to avoid imposing an Australian approach on the Pakistani players. Instead, he should focus on playing on their skills and strengths to maximise their performance in the format.
Basit Ali concluded by saying, “Pakistan have signed Australian Jason Gillespie. It remains to be seen whether we will play with the Australian mentality or not. If Gillespie tries to implement the Australian mentality in the Pakistan team, it will be a big mistake.”
PCB reduces ticket prices to boost attendance for Pakistan-Bangladesh series
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is implementing an innovative strategy to boost fan attendance by setting exceptionally low ticket prices for the Test series between Pakistan and Bangladesh. Tickets for the upcoming Test series are priced at just Rs 15 in Indian currency (PKR 50) to attract huge crowds to the venues in Rawalpindi and Karachi.
With this surprising move, the PCB aims to address concerns over crowd attendance at cricket events in Pakistan. In Rawalpindi, premium seats are available for PKR 200, while VIP seats are priced at PKR 500 on weekdays and PKR 600 on weekends.
It is noteworthy that the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh is very crucial for Pakistan as they aim to gain crucial points in the 2023-2025 World Test Championship cycle. Currently, Pakistan team is ranked fifth in the 2024-25 World Test Championship standings with a points percentage (PCT) of 36.66, having won two matches and suffered three defeats in their five World Test Championship matches.
