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‘Pakistan weren’t poor, we were better’
Pakistan spin wizard Mushtaq Ahmed has been in charge of the Bangladesh spinners for the past two international assignments -- the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies followed by the two-match Test tour of Pakistan. His troops have delivered remarkable performances in both tours but the 54-year-old is yet to be offered a long-term contract. In an interview with The Daily Star’s Samsul Arefin Khan yesterday, Mushtaq shared his take on Bangladesh’s historic series win in Pakistan and his future with the Tigers.
The Daily Star (DS): Your overall assessment of the Pakistan tour?
Mushtaq Ahmed (MA): The credit goes to the whole team. [Najmul Hossain] Shanto has been very good as captain. I think it was a mixture of everything. It was a great achievement. They were very dedicated, worked really hard, and were together. I believe they had no doubt amongst themselves. If you don’t have the belief, you can’t challenge any team. Skill comes last. Belief comes first.
DS: How do you evaluate Bangladesh spinners on a Rawalpindi wicket that is not known to provide assistance for them?
MA: It was outstanding. [Mehedi Hasan] Miraz was really good. The reason for that is he worked really hard, and Shakib [Al Hasan] got vital wickets in the first Test, especially in the second innings. One thing you should always remember is that if players put themselves under pressure in practice, Allah always gives them results. We also talked about angles, field positions, overspin, reading the pitch, and which area you need to bowl on; we communicated a lot during those Tests and even in training. The guys played with full passion and heart and the result speaks for itself.
DS: Do you see Miraz as a regular match-winner now?
MA: He is a match-winner because he can bat, he is a good fielder and a good bowler. He is a package, three in one. It’s a great combination to have for any team. The good thing about him is that he is very coachable. He is a very good listener and is hungry to learn. He understands whatever we discuss at the nets. He uses angles, the crease, pace variations, and reads the batter. He can play all formats and will become a key player for Bangladesh cricket.
DS: What went wrong for Pakistan in this series?
MA: Before saying what went wrong with the Pakistan team, I must say that Bangladesh, our team, played good cricket. Lots of people think that they didn’t play good cricket. Whenever we needed a partnership, Liton [Das] and Miraz stood up. That was a great partnership. When you needed somebody to bowl a very good spell, [Nahid] Rana got three to four quick wickets. So, those are the vital moments in which we played better than them.
All I can say is that Pakistan perhaps lacked confidence. They weren’t sure of what they were doing. Planning wise, I could see they were playing aggressive cricket without understanding the condition and situation unlike our guys. Overall, it was about Bangladesh players who played better than Pakistan cricketers.
DS: You have been working with BCB on a short-term basis for the past few months. What’s next? Do you want to sign a long-term contract?
MA: I am very hopeful. My manager and agent are talking to the cricket board. Hopefully, if things become better, it will be a great honour for me to be part of this team because this team can do wonders.
As things stand, I won’t be there for the India series [later this month]. I have a few commitments in the next three-four months. There are a few family commitments as well. Maybe after December or January, I will try my best to serve Bangladesh cricket.
DS: Your take on the competition in the spin department?
MA: Taijul [Islam] is a match-winner. Nayeem [Hasan] is also a very talented off-spinner who can bat. Good kind of competition to have. They aren’t ordinary spinners. They are all very coachable, and good learners.
We have to focus more on grassroots cricket. That’s very important. We have to look to the grassroots level for leg-spinners and mystery spinners. If you go to Australia, South Africa or England for white-ball cricket, you will need mystery spinners. My idea which I will share with the cricket board and other stakeholders is that they should go and find mystery spinners and make them ready for the first-class cricket and the national team. I think it will take some time but it is a great opportunity.
DS: You have worked with Rishad Hossain during the T20 World Cup. Do you see him as a prospect for red-ball cricket or do you want him to focus on white-ball only?
MA: He can improve his legspin in red-ball cricket. For that, he has to play first-class cricket and four-day cricket. We don’t have to rush him into Tests. If he plays a lot of four-day cricket, he will improve his white-ball cricket also because it will make him skilled by consolidating his basics.
Communication is a key aspect of my coaching philosophy and I’ve been in constant communication with Rishad. I have been watching his videos, and we are talking about his alignment and planning for the future as well. We just have to make sure he plays red-ball cricket as much as he can so he can become better in ODIs and T20s. If we need a leg-spinner to play Tests, he can be ready then. It might take some time but he is one of the cricketers who can play red-ball cricket.