Mushtaq Ahmed, a former spinner for Pakistan, is currently Bangladesh’s spin consultant. Prior to Bangladesh’s pivotal match against Afghanistan in the 2025 Asia Cup on Tuesday, September 16, at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, he expressed his opinions.
Bangladesh defeated Hong Kong by seven wickets to begin their campaign. But they were defeated by Sri Lanka by six wickets in their next match. The team managed by Litton Das will remain in the running for a position in the tournament’s Super-Four stage with a victory on Tuesday. They won’t, however, be assured of a spot because Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, the remaining contenders, will play the last group match.
Before the match against Afghanistan, Mushtaq Ahmed stated that the management and coaching staff of Bangladesh are attempting to instill confidence in the players.
“You must have faith. The players are constantly reminded by the coaches and management of the importance of belief. “Having to rely on ifs and buts is challenging, of course, but you have to focus on winning the match first,” ESPNcricinfo cited Mushtaq as saying.
When asked which players he would be most concerned about, Mushtaq was adamant that the Afghanistan spinners, under the leadership of Rashid Khan, would be the threat.
“They have an excellent spin department, particularly in the middle overs. Our bowling unit is also powerful, so we can challenge them if we can effectively counter their spin and score a respectable amount. “The middle overs are my biggest worry,” Mushtaq Ahmed remarked.
They won’t make much progress if they focus on the past: Mushtaq Ahmed
Despite the recent batting difficulties, Mushtaq said the players are being encouraged to follow their gut feelings and play aggressive cricket. Rather of thinking about the strengths of the opposition, Mushtaq Ahmed wants his team to play cricket without fear.
“Early mistakes can occasionally result in a rapid loss of four or five wickets. Our batsmen are told that while such incidents do occur, they must quickly move on. Their growth will be sluggish if they focus on the past. It is our responsibility as coaches to keep them from withdrawing, to keep them confident, and to continue to believe in them.
I place a strong premium on belief, as I have stated in press appearances. Wasim Akram, Javed Miandad, and Imran Khan were among the legends I played alongside. They taught me that if you don’t think you belong on the global stage, you start to overrespect the opposition and lose sight of your own advantages,” Mushtaq stated.
“You become a stronger player even if you fail when playing aggressively. The team can oppose any viewpoint if the coaches and management can foster that belief. Even when things appear difficult, players like Litton [Das], [Towhid] Hridoy, Tanzim [Hasan], Jaker, and Shamim have demonstrated that they can rediscover momentum and score 170-180. We can challenge any side if we strengthen as a squad and have good fast bowlers and spinners,” he continued.
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