Pakistan aim to exploit England's aggressive cricket in Test series
What's the story
Pakistan's vice-captain Saud Shakeel has revealed their strategic approach for the upcoming three-Test series against England.
The team plans to capitalize on England's aggressive playing style, a tactic known for its high-risk yet high-reward outcomes.
This strategy was confirmed by Shakeel during a press conference in Multan, where he stated that "England always play attacking cricket, and that always gives you an opportunity to induce mistakes in them."
Past performance
Shakeel reflects on past encounters with England
Shakeel, who was Pakistan's second-highest run-scorer in their 2022 series against England, reflected on the team's past performances.
Despite a 3-0 defeat by England in their last encounter, he highlighted moments when victory was within reach.
"The last series we played against England, there were times we were quite close to winning, such as Rawalpindi and Multan," Shakeel said.
Tactical approach
Pakistan's strategy to exploit England's mistakes
The approach of capitalizing on England's errors is not new. Sri Lanka recently used this strategy successfully in their three-Test series against England.
However, Shakeel acknowledged that Pakistan's ability to implement such a plan is uncertain due to recent struggles with both batting and bowling.
"We're struggling with the bat from time to time, and unable to convert starts into huge scores," he admitted.
Coach's perspective
Gillespie's guidance and Shakeel's strategy for England
Gillespie has advised the team to "hang in there, keep being disciplined" and "strike at the right moments."
Shakeel echoed this advice by stating that their strategy often depends on how England plays.
He suggested that reverse swing could be a factor depending on weather and pitch conditions.
"If a team is being aggressive, it can be easy to get sucked into their style of play and over-attack," he warned.
Game plan
Pakistan's flexible approach and quest for identity
Despite past performance issues, Shakeel emphasized Pakistan's adaptability on the field.
"We don't follow any particular style playing cricket, we play according to the requirement of any situation, which gives us flexibility," he said.
This sentiment aligns with head coach Jason Gillespie's vision for the team to develop a unique playing style that is "authentic to Pakistan."