Bangladesh Face Test of Consistency Against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi Heat

Bangladesh are set to take on Afghanistan in the one-off Test with the aim of continuing their recent progress in the longest format. Although the match is not part of the World Test Championship, the Tigers are determined to approach the contest seriously. With the Test scheduled to begin in Abu Dhabi on Friday, the intense heat in the United Arab Emirates has emerged as one of the key talking points ahead of the game.

At a press conference on Thursday, the eve of the match, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto spoke about the team’s preparations, the weather and the playing conditions. He also provided an update on his own fitness. However, the Bangladesh skipper does not want the difficult weather conditions to become an excuse for the team’s performance.

Shanto said, “The conditions are a bit hot. That will remain. But as professional cricketers, I don’t want to see these as an excuse in any way. The players are not thinking too much about these things either. Alhamdulillah, my recovery has been good and I am healthy now. I have trained for two days, and I am feeling good now.”

Shanto also stressed the importance of performing consistently despite changes in conditions and opposition. According to him, Bangladesh’s priority is to maintain their standards regardless of where they play, while continuing to improve in areas where they still have room to develop. The captain said, “We have to be consistent in different conditions and against different opponents. We are doing well, but there is still room for improvement. We have to improve our skills and ensure consistent performances.”

The Bangladesh captain also spoke about his personal affection for Test cricket. He said that, like most cricketers, he had wanted to play the longest format since childhood. Shanto believes playing more Test matches against different opponents would be beneficial for the team, while making it clear that he personally prefers Tests to limited-overs cricket.

Shanto said, “As professional cricketers, all of us have wanted to play Test cricket since childhood. If you ask any cricketer, you will get the same answer—everyone has wanted to play Test cricket. Test cricket is something special for everyone. If we can play more and more matches, against all opponents, it will be good. There is also limited-overs cricket. But everyone loves playing Test cricket more. I would prefer playing Test cricket over limited-overs cricket.”