Live Update: ‘It’s a mental thing’ – Phil Simmons highlights Bangladesh’s biggest concern ahead of Afghanistan Test. Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons has identified the mental challenge of the heat in the UAE as a key concern for players coming back from the Asian Games.
‘It’s a mental thing’ – Phil Simmons highlights Bangladesh’s biggest concern ahead of Afghanistan Test (Source: PCB) Bangladesh will face Afghanistan in a one-off Test scheduled to take place from October 9-13, 2026 at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The touring squad includes players who represented Bangladesh at the Asian Games in January and only joined the Test squad on October 6. This transition from the Asian Games to the United Arab Emirates represents a major challenge for the team.
Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons has described adting to the UAE’s climate as the team’s main concern. Players returning from January had limited training opportunities during the Asian Games due to persistent rain, while the rest of the Test team had trained in the UAE’s scorching heat for the previous days and took part in a two-day training match against the UAE that ended in a draw on Monday. “Well, that’s the only problem at the moment (how they adt to the UAE after the Asian Games) because the guys who came in January aren’t doing much there and then they have to come this time,” Simmons said, as quoted by Cricbuzz.
How will Asian Games players adt to the heat in the UAE? Simmons spoke on Wednesday, October 7, about the immediate challenge his team faces as they prepare for the friendly. The mental and physical demands of transitioning from January conditions to the intense heat of Abu Dhabi required careful management and monitoring.
“The weather has been like this for two days and it’s just a matter of how they adt because at the end of the day it’s a mental thing and that’s how they adt,” Simmons said. What to expect from the Abu Dhabi wicket and Afghan bowling? Simmons expressed confidence in the quality of the pitch in Abu Dhabi and explained Bangladesh’s strategy to prepare for the bowling attack in Afghanistan.
The team’s proach to the Test is to assess the wicket and understand the opponent’s strengths. “I look at the wicket and the wicket looks good. It looks like it might be a little slow, but it seems like a good wicket,” Simmons said.
“The preparation was good and the boys worked well and we are looking forward to the next few days,” he added.
