As Pakistan gears up to face England in the forthcoming Test series on their home soil, the team’s vice-captain Saud Shakeel has shed light on an intriguing strategy aimed at countering the English team’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach. In a recent press conference held in Multan, Shakeel expressed his belief that Pakistan can capitalize on England’s fondness for attacking cricket to secure success in the series.
During the discussion, Shakeel touched upon the highly anticipated clash, acknowledging England’s audacious style of play and suggesting that their aggression presents opportunities for Pakistan’s bowlers to take advantage. “England always play attacking cricket,” Shakeel remarked, “and that always gives you an opportunity to induce mistakes in them, and to use their mistakes to stay in the game.”
Reflecting on the events of the past, Shakeel took a trip down memory lane, reminiscing about England’s previous tour of Pakistan in 2022. Despite the visitors securing a 3-0 clean sweep in the three-match series, Shakeel insisted that the hosts were closer to victory than the scoreline suggested. “The last series we played against England, there were times we were quite close to winning, such as Rawalpindi and Multan, but we couldn’t finish it off,” he added, hinting at the sharp resolve within the Pakistani camp to reverse the fortunes in the upcoming matches.
A point of reflection, however, is the Pakistan batting lineup’s recurring inability to convert promising starts into substantial scores. Shakeel admits that this issue is a “point of concern” and highlighted the need for the side to overcome this hurdle. “We’re struggling with the bat from time to time, and unable to convert starts into huge scores. That’s a point of concern,” Shakeel mentioned candidly. However, he was quick to emphasize the team’s intent to focus on the present rather than dwelling on past missteps. “The series that’s over is now in the past.
. Admittedly we didn’t play well there. Our focus is on what’s ahead.”
In terms of strategy, Shakeel underscored Pakistan’s flexible approach to playing cricket—a mindset not anchored to any particular style but adaptable to the requirements of each situation. “We don’t follow any particular style playing cricket, we play according to the requirement of any situation, which gives us flexibility,” he conveyed.
Shakeel, 29, also shared insights regarding the potential strategies Pakistan might employ, adjusting their plans in response to England’s style of play. “The strategy is often decided on the spot depending on how England play,” Shakeel said, indicating the importance of a dynamic and evolving approach. He also alluded to the possible use of reverse swing, which could come into play depending on the weather and pitch conditions in Pakistan. “If a team is being aggressive, it can be easy to get sucked into their style of play and over-attack. If they’re attacking, and we just let them make their mistakes, that might work out better for us,” he concluded.
As attention turns to this enticing series, Pakistan’s cricket fans and analysts alike are speculating on how effectively Shakeel and his team can execute this strategy against England’s renowned aggression. While history has presented its challenges for Pakistan in closing out matches, Shakeel’s leadership exudes a renewed focus and a calculated game plan to turn opportunities into results. With such crucial insights offering a glimpse into Pakistan’s tactical deliberations, the cricketing world eagerly awaits to see how this strategy pans out on the home ground in the upcoming Test series.
