Afghanistan pacer Yamin Ahmadzai said that sticking to their plans of bowling on one channel in the second session, despite going for runs in the first session, paid dividends for them on the first day of the one-off Test against Bangladesh.
On the back of Tanzid Tamim’s blistering batting, Bangladesh rode high in the first session but soon after he departed, the hosts fought back brilliantly. They grabbed three quick wickets after Lunch, including the big scalp of Mushfiqur Rahim.
Afghanistan pace trio of Mohammad Saleem, Yamin Ahmadzai and Ismat Alam combined took seven out of the eight wickets to fall, mixing in some short balls while sticking to one channel.
Ahmadzai, who removed Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur in the second session, led the charge with a relentless spell focussed on bowling fuller lengths. He also was extracted reverse swing in the blistering heat.
“After the first session, the plan was that they were coming a bit aggressively and we were trying to just be in one channel and let them play their shots according to their plan, but we were not going to change our plan,” Ahmadzai later said.
“Well, on a wicket like this, it’s good to bat first but it was a good day for us in the end,” he said. He also took a brilliant catch of Litton Kumar Das in the deep to dash any hopes of Bangladesh to post a big total.
“I’ve taken lots of catches, but it was a good one. It was in the last part of the day and it was an effort to catch and Alhamdulillah I got it,” he said.
Ahmadzai said that he was happy to set up Mushfiqur and get him out according to his plan, adding that he had worked on his wrist position to master reverse swing.
“I have bowled plenty of my balls before this (the ball that removed Mushfiqur) on the fifth and sixth stump and I was trying to bring him to play in my line. Unfortunately, he was not doing that. Suddenly, I decided to go one straighter and it reversed a bit and I got his wicket,” he said.
“Yes, exactly, I was working with my wrist position to get reverse swing. The wickets in Afghanistan are not very friendly to the bowlers. So every time you have to try something new,” he said.
“I was working alongside the coaches back home, and I was trying to build up this angle from wider of the crease. Most of the bowlers bring the ball into the batter from that angle and I try to take it away from the batter,” he said.
“I’m a strong believer of hard work and I’ve been doing it for the last 18 years. I just believe in those efforts that I’m doing back home. And I think the only thing is the hard work behind my success,” he added.
