Disappointed after first Test loss but ready to bounce back – Sarfaraz

Pakistan head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed on Friday admitted the team was disappointed after losing the opening Test to Bangladesh in Dhaka by 104 runs, but insisted they are looking to bounce back in the second Test.

The defeat gave Bangladesh a 1-0 lead in the series, part of the ICC World Test Championship. Sarfaraz said the side is aiming to make a comeback and has been boosted by Babar Azam's return after missing the first Test due to injury.

"Definitely, we as a team are disappointed after the first Test match, but the past is the past. We are hopeful for the next match, Insha'Allah, we will bounce back as a team," Sarfaraz told reporters in Sylhet. "Babar Azam is available for the next match."

He added: "What happened in the past has happened. We are not talking about the previous match. We are focused on our next match and we will bounce back."

Addressing mounting social media criticism of senior players and captain Shan Masood following the defeat, Sarfaraz said: "It is not new for us. We all know if we are not playing good cricket, the criticism is there. We are not worrying about social media things. Our focus is to play the next match. Hopefully, my captain and all the team will play good cricket."

Sarfaraz identified discipline as a key area for improvement. "We need to be more disciplined. If you talk about playing Test matches, we need to be disciplined with bowling length and batting more patiently. We sat down and discussed all these points as a team after we arrived here."

"I am hopeful that the senior players will take responsibility, and Insha'Allah, when such a position arises again, they will pull the team out of it," he concluded.