Jason Gillespie shares insights about Pakistan Shaheens' performance against Bangladesh A

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The two four-day match series between Pakistan Shaheens and Bangladesh A concluded with each team winning one match, resulting in a 1-1 draw.

Pakistan, having won the first match convincingly, lost the second match on the final day by a narrow margin of just five runs.

In a recent video released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Jason Gillespie, the national team's red-ball coach, shared his reflections on the Pakistan Shaheens' four-day tour against Bangladesh A in Northern Territory, Darwin.

"Just got to the end of our red-ball leg of the Pakistan Shaheens trip here in Northern Territory, Darwin. We've had a bit of a mixed bag; we won our first game, which was great, but unfortunately, we lost today," Gillespie said.

Despite the mixed results, Gillespie emphasized the value of the experience for the Shaheens players. 

"It has been a wonderful experience for all the Shaheens players. We certainly learned a lot. It was a great opportunity for me to get to know the guys, see how they approach training, preparation, teamwork, and their work on the field. It’s been a real learning curve for me. I think the players have certainly benefited from this opportunity," he said.

The former cricketer also highlighted the importance of such tours for player development. 

"That’s what the Shaheens is about—getting out there in foreign conditions against different opposition and being able to test their skills in this environment," he said.

He pointed out areas for improvement, particularly in batting and bowling. 

"While there are plenty of lessons to learn from this game, our top seven batters did not quite deliver as expected. In both innings, four of our top seven got starts, but none managed to go on and achieve a really big score," Gillespie noted. 

"Similarly, our partnerships were middling, with several in the forties and fifties, but we lacked those substantial partnerships that put the opposition under real pressure and drive the game forward. These are key areas for our batters to focus on, encouraging them to stay busy and shift the pressure back onto the opposition," he added.

On the bowling side, Gillespie remarked, "We didn't execute our plans as effectively as we could have in this game. Despite these challenges, it was a great experience getting to know the players and staff, who are a fantastic group of people."

Gillespie concluded on a positive note, appreciating the overall experience in Darwin. "It's just been a wonderful experience here in Darwin in our home country, and I know the boys have certainly enjoyed it. I wish the team all the very best for the white-ball leg of this tour. It's going to be great fun."

After completetion of the two four-day match series, Pakistan Shaheens are now scheduled to play two ODI matches and the nine-team Top End T20 series, scheduled from August 4-18 in Darwin, Australia.

Squad: Mohammad Haris (captain), Abdul Faseeh, Arafat Minhas, Arif Yaqoob, Faisal Akram, Haseebullah (wicketkeeper/batter), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Jahandad Khan, Kashif Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Omair bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Shahnawaz Dahani and Usman Khan

Schedule of white-ball matches

• 4 Aug – 50-over match vs Northern Territory (NT)
• 6 Aug – 50 over match vs Bangladesh ‘A’
• 10 Aug – vs Perth Scorchers (Top End T20 Series)
• 11 Aug – vs Melbourne Stars (Top End T20 Series)
• 13 Aug – vs Tasmania (Top End T20 Series)
• 15 Aug – vs Melbourne Renegades (Top End T20 Series)
• 16 Aug – vs Bangladesh ‘A’ (Top End T20 Series)
• 17 Aug – vs ACT Comets (Top End T20 Series)