Pakistan cricket team’s decision to hoist their national flag in training sessions ahead of the series against Bangladesh has not sat well with the Bangladeshi fans. While this may seem an overreaction as the Pakistan team has been planting the flag for their training sessions for quite a while now, the Bangladeshi fans believe that the Pakistan cricket team is politicizing the sport.
Pakistan’s interim head coach, Saqlain Mushtaq, introduced this particular tradition in the Pakistani dressing room as he believes that the players need constant reminding that they are representing their country. The flag-carrying was introduced in order to boost the morale and to keep the focus of the players clear.
While Pakistan’s intentions are clear, the Bangladeshi fans are displeased due to the history between the two nations. Bangladesh fans took to social media and lashed out at the Pakistan cricket team for planting the flag on Bangladeshi soil.
Pakistan will play a three-match T20I series and a two-match Test series on their tour of Bangladesh. The tour is set to commence on 19 November with the first T20I. The Test series is a part of the ICC World Test Championship and both teams will be determined to take the maximum points and keep themselves in the race to qualify for the World Test Championship Final in 2023.
