Fakhar Zaman and Mehidy Hasan Miraz post-match press conferencePakistan vs Bangladesh, ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023

Pakistan player Fakhar Zaman and Bangladesh player Mehidy Hasan Miraz post-match press conference Pakistan vs Bangladesh, ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.

Pakistan player Fakhar Zaman

Bangladesh player Mehidy Hasan Miraz

Pakistan player Fakhar Zaman post-match press conference (Urdu & English) transcript

[Reporter:] Converting from Fakhri Zaman to Fakhri Aiden. You could have been the Fakhri Aiden by scoring a century here where Nasir Jamshed score. So, what do you say?

[Fakhar Zaman:] Exactly, but the situation we are in at the moment, so we were looking to chase it like in 28, 29 overs, so that's why I was just going. Otherwise, it was very easy for me to get to the 100 after 50, but our goal was to achieve the target within like 30 or 29 overs.

[Reporter:] Just wanted to know – your bowling unit, especially the pace bowlers, bowled short to Shakib Al Hasan – was that an intentional plan against him? Because he is getting out from short balls?

[Fakhar Zaman:] To be honest I don't know exactly about that but whenever we are playing against Bangladesh most of the time, we plan for the bouncer so maybe that's the captain and bowlers’ plan but I'm not sure about that.

[Reporter:] What hopes do you have to go to the semi-final after losing 4 games? What is the mood in the camp?

[Fakhar Zaman:] In the World Cup, each win gives you confidence and we were waiting for this win. We are on the ifs and buts right now -  but we will try to win both the matches with good run rates. Our target is the semi-final and we will try for that.

[Reporter:] You mentioned a few days ago that you were working on the side lines and you felt that your batting was improving. We are also looking at the bowlers and they are able to use the conditions better. Do you think that the team will move into the execution phase and you have collected the data now about the conditions here.

[Fakhar Zaman:] Absolutely. When you spend some time in any place, you get an idea of the conditions – for both the bowlers and batters. It’s like that. And if you look at the way we played in the beginning, we play like we play in Pakistan. Here, our fast bowlers are trying to have more accuracy. In Pakistan, when you use more pace, you get more success. Here if you bowl more accurately, they will score less.

[Reporter:] After sitting out for 6 matches, when you came in today, we noticed your hunger. So, can we say that the best of Fakhar Zaman is yet to come now in these last two matches of this stage of the tournament?

[Fakhar Zaman:] Absolutely. The way I was batting in the nets, you get the idea that the ball is coming well. And if I tell you the truth, the way India's wickets are, for batsmen, if they play 3 or 4 overs, I think it's easy to make runs - after playing 3 or 4 overs for the batsmen. The boundaries are also not that big.

I will try to perform well in the next two matches so our team can win.

[Reporter:] You were suffering from an injury - [inaudible]

[Fakhar Zaman:] My injury was such that I could have played any time. If the team needed me, I could have joined at any time. I didn’t have a severe injury. We were just taking a precaution, and I could have joined the team whenever I was needed.

Now that I have got the chance, I will try to contribute to the team's success.

[Reporter:][inaudible]

[Fakhar Zaman:] Of course, an India and Pakistan match is a very big deal. If I say it doesn't make a difference, I would be wrong. But all the players are professional and have played a lot of cricket. Even against India, they have played a lot of matches. So, you can't say anything like that. But I think if you look at our rhythm, we have made a comeback in batting and in bowling – like if you see in our previous match against South Africa. This is a combination.

I hope that you will see the same in this match and also in the next. I am part of this dressing room since the past 8 years, so I feel that the more we play, the more we will improve.

[Reporter:] Today Pakistan played one bowler less and one batter more. Iftikhar had to bowl 10 overs. Are they bringing the same combination with New Zealand?

[Fakhar Zaman:] Only the captain will tell you about that. But Iftikhar Ahmed is bowling 7 to 8 overs in every match, maybe because he is playing the role of a bowler, the captain and coach must have thought that already Iftikhar is bowling 7 to 8 overs then why not make him do 10 overs, because now even Salman can bowl.

Bangladesh player Mehidy Hasan Miraz post-match press conference (Bangla and English) transcript

[Reporter:] You think if the score had been 250 plus Bangladesh would have put a better fight?

[Mehidy Hasan:] Yeah, definitely. It's looked like not easy to bat on that wicket and I think 250 is good score for this wicket. So yeah.

[Reporter:] Where did went wrong?

[Mehidy Hasan:] I think actually our batters they get big score the problem was there so I think the batsmen take the responsibility to bat on so in surface you know all the time taking responsibility the batsmen and taking the biggest score. So if you put in the biggest score in this wicket, definitely we come back.

[Reporter:] What do you think about Fakhar's innings? Was it really difficult to bowl to him the way he was playing?

[Mehidy Hasan:] Yeah, definitely. This is the lowest scoring match, they try to hit all the time. So if you get early wickets, definitely we come back. Definitely he did very well and he played freedom.

[Reporter:] Today there was a new batting lineup also, Riyad and Mushfiq played on the top and you batted on the lower order after a long time. It seems that it could work out because the start was good also. So where has actually everything gone wrong/upside down? The second question is what is the dressing room environment now? I mean, obviously, you lost the last match against the Netherlands but there was hope that you could get something good from this match. The start was quite good. At some point in the batting, it seemed that you could win the match. What is the situation now?

[Mehidy Hasan:] We lost early wickets in the first half. We lost two wickets for 6 runs. Then Liton and Riyad started the game very well. As you said Riyad and Mushfiq batted on the top. They were playing very well, they were confident and Riyad was in good shape. So, considering the team's performance, Riyad was pulled on the top order and also Mushfiq batted on the top order. Because they have a lot of experience and they have played a lot of matches for Bangladesh and in this position. That's why thought that maybe something good would happen. But Liton and Riyad built a good partnership. If we could do a little bit more, it would be better for us. Naturally, everyone feels bad when we lose. We all feel bad. But end of the day we have to accept this because it's cricket and there should be win and loss. But still, I think we have two more matches left. We will prepare for these two World Cup matches.

[Reporter:] You were saying that, if we could score 250 then we could have a competition here. But the way Pakistan batted, they chased it very easily within 30-32 overs. So, was 250 a competitive score here? And did you believe in the second innings? Or your body language didn't show that you could defend 204 runs? Because the bowlers were not charged up, the fielders were not charged up like this. I mean, overall, did you believe that it was possible to defend 204 runs here?

[Mehidy Hasan:] The thing is that as you said about belief, yes, we had that belief at the beginning. But they attacked. And when a partnership is formed, it is very tough to come back in the low-scoring match. You have to accept that. So, when they formed a big partnership in the opening, it became difficult for us. If it was a scenario like this, if we could have taken 2-3 wickets early, then the game would have been different. But we couldn't do that. And as you said, in this wicket, I think 200 is a little less run. Maybe if we had 250+ then we would have a chance to fight/defend it. But of course, two of Pakistan's opener batsmen batted very well and they charged us from the beginning. So we must have to give them credit for that.

[Reporter:] I have two questions. First, in the last match against the Netherlands, there were about 15,000 spectators. Today, there are 28,000 spectators and most of them are Bangladesh team's supporters. They are getting frustrated again and again. Have you seen their faces or do you have anything to say to them?

[Mehidy Hasan:] See, we all are getting frustrated. Those of us who are playing are not able to play as per the expectations but we're trying to find out how we can improve. And the other thing is that the fans of Bangladesh always watch and support us. After losing to the Netherlands, there have been many more spectators in this match. They never give up hope. Bangladesh will definitely come back, they think that. We also think the same.

[Reporter:] After this loss, there was an equation to play in the Champions Trophy. Although it's on paper, that equation has become even more difficult. If Bangladesh cannot play in the Champions Trophy in 2025, how big a problem that will be for Bangladesh cricket? There's already a bad situation in the World Cup. If we are not able to play in the Champions Trophy, how big a disaster that is you think?

[Mehidy Hasan:] If we can't play in the Champions Trophy, it will be bad for all of us. It will be bad for us and bad for you. Because you won't be able to (report/criticize) this. [smile] No, definitely. See, at the end of the day, luck is not also favoring us. We're all trying, everyone is trying to play well. Nobody wants to play badly. End of the day, we all are trying but we don't see luck in our game. Maybe our luck isn't helping us. You see, we batsmen, wherever we play a shot, they catch the ball. They're getting caught or collected by the fielders. When we bowl, something is happening. It's never happened before. We played in the ODI for the last three years. But I think luck is not helping us. But we believe that Bangladesh will come back.

[Reporter:] Can you tell us which number you will be playing in the next match? And the second question is, what is your comfortable number in the batting?

[Mehidy Hasan:] As you asked me which number I will be playing in the next match, this is actually for our team combination. You see, before every match, the decision comes out from the team management, which position will be better for each player. It's done for the team at the end of the day. It's never done to make the team bad, or the team play badly. The best player is given the opportunity. But none of us is clicking. I don't want to blame anyone for playing badly, we all played badly. I don't want to say individually that only one or two players played badly. We all played badly. We all admit that. And what was the other thing you said? My favorite batting order, I always like to play in the middle order. But I am playing in different positions for team combination.

[Reporter:] Are you comfortable with that?

[Mehidy Hasan:] No, obviously, it is a bit difficult for me. I played in the lower and middle order for the last 7 years. When I played in lower and middle order, I would have an idea about how I would play. But I think that instead of thinking about this if I want to prove myself as a batsman, I need to prove myself more. And I need to perform in any position. Then the team will have an expectation that I would be able to perform in whichever position I play.

[Reporter:] You said that nothing is happening. We have seen Bangladesh losing in many tournaments. But like this, one after another match, you couldn't fight. You couldn't fight in any match after the match against Afghanistan. In your seven-year international career, have you seen Bangladesh playing so badly in any tournament?

[Mehidy Hasan:] No, it didn't happen like this before. As I said earlier, luck is not favoring us. See, everyone is trying, we all are practicing, we are planning but you have to have luck at the end of the day. If you are not lucky, you will never succeed. I believe in it. I don't know who else believes or not. At the end of the day, you need God's mercy. And you definitely need luck. And I believe that this will not last for long. We will come back hopefully ("Inshallah").

[Reporter:] The thing is that you are not coming in top order. We are seeing that our opening batsmen are failing, and along with that Shanto is failing after one down. When we get a good start in the opening, the confidence builds up for those who play later. Maybe you get a forecast/message from the wicket and you have confidence. Do you think that our batting is failing because of failing in these two places or the same thing is happening again and again?

[Mehidy Hasan:] I don't want to blame anyone. We are all playing badly. We are not getting partnerships from the top order. We are not able to hold it in the middle order. We are not able to finish by the low order. I don't want to blame anyone specifically. I think we are all playing badly. If you have 7-8 batsmen in a team, not everyone will perform well every day. If 3 or 4 batsmen score big, the team will be in a good position. And 3-4 batsmen will contribute little, and 2 or 3 batsmen will not score runs, this is how cricket is played. And the bowler is the same. See, all our batsmen are making some or the other fault, we are getting out. Maybe one person is playing well, we are able to make it big. But if one person is scoring runs, then your team will never get a result. Everyone should play well together. And we are all failing.

[Reporter:] I think it gets boring for everyone that five matches are left, six matches are left, and three matches are left. The same kind of result, maybe we ask the same kind of questions every day. You may answer the same. I am asking a different question. When such a bad time comes, I mean, helpless people want to survive with any small thing they can get. They see big things in small. Can you see this situation in a positive way? You go abroad to play at different times. You complain about many things starting from the facilities. You discuss among yourselves why you don't have such a thing in your country. After this failure, do you think that will change? And the thing that we are not doing right, will that be corrected by this failure?

[Mehidy Hasan:] See, the good time comes after the bad time. Of course, we will have good times in the future. And the thing you said, who are there will decide accordingly on how to do it better in the future. The lackings or mistakes we had, we will not make the same mistakes in the future. We all will sit and discuss these things.

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