Shakib Al Hasan is batting well after eye testing: Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha

Chandika Hathurusingha. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha gave a delightful piece of news to the fans when he said that the talismanic Shakib Al Hasan is batting well in the nets after consulting a specialist for his eye problem. The former Sri Lankan cricketer hopes that the star all-rounder will have a strong outing with the bat in the two-match Test series against Pakistan.

The first match commences on Wednesday, August 21, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi. Shakib, who had revealed that his vision was impacted due to subtle issues with his left eye, consulted a specialist in Singapore earlier in the year before plying his trade in the Bangladesh Premier League in January. Shakib had taken some time off from the sport after the ODI World Cup in 2023, but returned to competitive action this year. He also featured in a Test match against Sri Lanka in Chattogram earlier this year and scored 51 runs in the two innings.

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The southpaw also played in the Major League Cricket in the United States and the Global T20 League in Canada before reaching Pakistan for the red-ball assignment.

“He is actually batting well. He has looked fitter. He has done some eye testing as well. He is saying that it helped him with the problem he had,” Hathurusingha said ahead of the first Test as per India Today.

Notably, Shakib has played just two Tests for Bangladesh over the last 18 months. He will look to showcase his class against Pakistan and help his team to challenge Shan Masood’s men in their backyard.

The Bangladesh contingent landed in Lahore last week, where they had a three-day preparatory camp ahead of the series. Hathurusingha said that the facilities provided to them in Lahore were great and thanked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for inviting them early so that they could get adequate time for training. After the preparations in Lahore, Bangladesh moved to Islamabad, which is near Rawalpindi.

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Bangladesh’s A team is also touring Pakistan. It is engaged in first-class games against Pakistan Shaheens in Islamabad with the second four-day match to get underway on August 21.

“The Lahore facilities are excellent. We thank the PCB for inviting us to come early. We had a good three days of practice over there. We had six players come earlier in the A team in Islamabad. In terms of preparation, we are very happy. In terms of mood, we are very much looking forward to the challenge,” Hathurusingha said.