Khurram Shahzad Discusses His Six-Wicket Haul and Pakistan’s Strategy

Following Liton Das's impressive 138-run innings, the achievement of Pakistani bowler Khurram Shahzad, who took 6 wickets, has somewhat faded into the background. On Sunday, Khurram single-handedly dismantled the top order of the Bangladesh batting lineup, reducing them to just 26 runs with his exceptional bowling performance.

Despite Khurram’s outstanding bowling, Bangladesh advanced due to a crucial partnership between Liton and Mehedi Hasan Miraz. At the end of the day’s play, Khurram Shahzad expressed his frustration about the partnership in the press conference, describing it as unfortunate. He said:

"There was certainly some assistance for the bowlers on the pitch. We managed to put them under pressure early on by taking wickets. However, it was unfortunate that they managed to build a strong partnership and put up a significant total."

In response to Pakistan’s first-innings score of 274, Bangladesh was initially in trouble, raising concerns about a potential follow-on. However, the Bangladeshi batters made a comeback. The next day will be crucial, and the chances of victory remain balanced for both teams. Khurram commented on Pakistan's approach for the next day:

"Look, we are staying positive. Our batting unit has the ability to set up a good total tomorrow. We also have confidence in getting them out. So, we are moving forward with the goal of winning the match, Inshallah."

Regarding the 165-run partnership between Liton and Miraz after Bangladesh had lost 6 wickets, Khurram was asked about Pakistan's strategy to break this partnership. He responded:

"As professional cricketers, we have to be prepared for all kinds of situations. If there is swing, that’s ideal. If not, we try to come up with plans to restrict runs and force the batters into mistakes. When the partnership developed, we aimed to maintain discipline in our bowling to keep the runs in check."