Mirpur: Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons reflected on his team’s earlier success against the Pakistan national cricket team as both teams set their sights firmly on the upcoming challenge as they prepare for the two-match Test series starting May 8.
During the pre-match media conference, the former West Indies cricketer acknowledged the importance of Bangladesh’s historic Test series against Pakistan in 2024 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
However, he stressed that past results have no relevance in the current context as the two teams begin a new tournament in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle.
“That’s history now,” Simmons said.
He further stressed that the Bangladesh camp is not dwelling on past achievements and is focused on continuously evolving as a side and building on progress.
According to him, mental resilience and adaptability will be key as his team prepares for the new mission.
“We want to make new history. It doesn’t matter what happened then. Yes, you keep it in your mind because it gives you motivation, but it’s a new game and a new place,” he said. “We are in Bangladesh now, not in Pakistan. We have to put those things behind us and focus on Friday.”
The Bangladesh camp is confident that the switch back to the longer format will not pose too many difficulties, with several players featuring in domestic red-ball matches recently.
Simmons noted that changing designs is as much a mental adjustment as a technical one, especially for players who have been focusing on red-ball cricket for the past few months. This, he said, should make the adaptation smooth rather than challenging.
“It’s a change of heart. At the same time, some of the players here haven’t played white-ball cricket recently. They’ve been working on the red ball for the last couple of months, so I think it’s going to be an easier transition than you think,” explained Simmons.
Despite their previous win against Pakistan in 2024, he emphasized that the team’s atmosphere is stable and focused.
“I think 95% of expectations are outside the dressing room. You and the public have more expectations than us. We are looking forward to preparing and playing; expectations from the last series didn’t help us. We are trying to keep it outside the dressing room,” he concluded.
Bangladesh is entering the second round of the ongoing WTC 2025–27 cycle. They are currently eighth in the table after losing their previous two-match series against Sri Lanka 1-0 in June 2025.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan national cricket team is fifth in the table with 12 points with 50 percent points after drawing the two-match series against South Africa 1-1 in October last year.
The first Test is scheduled at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium from May 8-12 and the second Test from May 16-20 at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
The Pakistan team will be led by experienced top-order batsman Shaun Masood and includes five uncapped players as both teams aim to strengthen their positions in the World Test Championship rankings.