Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood remains resolute about his role despite his team’s disappointing performance in the recent Test series against Bangladesh. The second Test in Rawalpindi marked Shan Masood’s fifth consecutive loss since he assumed the captaincy in 2023, following previous defeats to Australia and now to Bangladesh. This series was particularly notable as it marked the first time Pakistan had been beaten by Bangladesh in Test matches.
Addressing the media at the post-match press conference, Shan Masood expressed confidence in his leadership despite the team’s struggles. He stated that he was not concerned about his job security and remained focused on implementing necessary changes to improve the team’s performance. “I am not worried for my job security,” Shan Masood said. “I took this job to make the changes we believe will help this team. If I believe this team can go in a certain direction, even if my personal failure takes Pakistan in that direction, I will be content. However much time I get I’ll be grateful for and do my best.”
Shan Masood highlighted the need for Pakistan to play more Test matches to enhance their performance in the format. He argued that an overemphasis on T20Is would not contribute to the improvement of Pakistan’s Test cricket. Citing Bangladesh’s experience, Shan Masood noted that the visiting team had players like Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahman, who had played nearly 90 Test matches, while other players like Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz had close to 40 Test appearances. Shan Masood emphasized the importance of red-ball cricket exposure for developing a strong Test team.
“You can’t play more T20 cricket and get Test players. You can’t prepare for science and then sit a maths exam. If you’re being tested for maths, you study maths. To play red-ball cricket, you must play red-ball cricket,” Shan Masood elaborated.
Acknowledging the team’s numerous mistakes, Shan Masood stressed the need for improvements in both physical and mental aspects of the game. He pointed out that Bangladesh’s superior discipline was a key factor in their victory. “We have to respect the opposition and Bangladesh’s discipline was superior to ours in both Tests. We need to look at ourselves and the kinds of mistakes we made this series. Test cricket, in terms of fitness, whether mental or physical, lasts for four or five days. What we’ve shown this series is something we need to work on,” Masood concluded.
