Zakir Hasan, the opener for Bangladesh, sprang into the scene with a century on his Test debut against India last year. On Friday, he was playing in only his third Test and came close to getting a second hundred in the match. After the Tigers’ record-setting victory against Afghanistan, the left-handed batter was singled out for appreciation by the team’s head coach, Chandika Hathurusingha.
The Sri Lankan player admired Zakir’s ability to command the situation against both fast bowlers and spinners. The player, who is 25 years old, discussed his game, his aspirations, and other topics in an exclusive conversation with Mazhar Uddin of Mostbet Agent. The following are snippets from the interview that were taken:
Mostbet Agent (MA): After missing the last match in the series against Ireland because of an injury, what were some of the thoughts that went through your head?
To tell you the truth, I didn’t give much thought to it since I had already prepared myself for it during the four-day series that the A team played against West Indies. I had a positive experience during the match practice that we had before the test against Afghanistan. I never considered mounting a comeback, but rather I concentrated on the work at hand and did the very best that I could.
MA: How did you acclimatize to the new Mirpur pitch once it was renovated?
ZH: In Mirpur, we don’t typically play on wickets like this, which include grass in the surface. The hitters had a difficult time with it since the bounce was not even all the time, and it was a difficulty overall.
But when it comes down to it, I try not to dwell too much on things that are out of my control and instead concentrate more on how I can improve my batting. It’s possible that avoiding deep thought was beneficial to me in some way. The kind of pitch that we played on against Afghanistan will undoubtedly help us gain some confidence for our upcoming matches in other countries.
MA: Do you feel somewhat unfortunate to have missed out on a great deal?
ZH: It should go without saying that the goal of every batter is to score one hundred runs in each inning. After reaching my seventies without success, I had high hopes for reaching the century mark, which came as a surprise to me. I believe that this experience will serve as a lesson for me anytime I am put into a scenario similar to it in the future.
MA: Would you say that one of your primary strengths is the length of time you can spend at the crease?
ZH: I suppose so. If you are batting in the top order in a test match, there is no need to rush, and the more time you can stay at the crease, the better it will be for you. It is also beneficial to have an understanding of the game and to make the innings as long as possible.
MA: Do you want to play all formats of the game, or do you want to specialize in tests?
ZH: If I’m being completely honest, I should be able to play all different formats. I have to give my whole attention to the test match while it is being played, but because there is a significant break between games right now, I will make an effort to improve my batting in all of the other forms as well as prepare for the future.
Does the fact that you have colleagues who have significantly improved as fast bowlers help raise your game?
Absolutely, Mr. ZH. When you have a really excellent pace-bowling unit and you face them in the nets, it really enhances your confidence to face any bowler in global cricket. This is because you have already faced them.
MA: Do you have a hitting role model who you look up to and admire?
ZH: I wouldn’t say that. I have never once attempted to imitate another person; rather, I work hard to be the greatest version of myself that I can be. Nevertheless, sure, I genuinely love [Mominul Haque] Showrav bhai’s batting, and I respect his self-control.