How Pakistan want to play Test cricket? - Shan Masood delivers striking verdict

Pakistan’s Test captain Shan Masood shed light on the team’s strategic approach for the upcoming extended home Test series after the T20 World Cup 2024. Shan Masood acknowledged the substantial duration of approximately 8 months before the next Test.

Shan Masood took charge of the Pakistan Test team ahead of the three-match series against Australia in away conditions. However, the Men in Green failed to make an impact in Australia, suffering a whitewash with a 0-3 defeat in their most recent red-ball series.

We Have To Take A Chance Somewhere – Shan Masood

In a recent interview with a local sports website, Shan Masood addressed the challenges presented in the home series. The Pakistan Test captain emphasized the necessity to factor in various aspects for a well-rounded approach.

“It’s quite a long duration, around 8 months, but we have to take a chance somewhere. Considering the type of wickets we produce, obviously, weather plays a role. There is a lot of heat in August, and even in October, it remains quite hot. So, we will have to consider many things,” Masood said as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.

Pakistan is scheduled for a two-match Test series against Bangladesh at home in August. The team will host a three-match Test series against England in October. The Pakistan team is in sixth place in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 points table.

We Will Try To Quickly Announce Our Core Group – Shan Masood

The 34-year-old emphasized the need to announce a core group to bring clarity to Pakistan’s cricketing strategy over the next eight months.

“Looking at the 8 months, we also need to see which set of players will be available. We will try to quickly announce our core group and the squad, so that there is a certain clarity on how Pakistan wants to play cricket in this manner,” Masood added.

Essential To Assess Conditions – Shan Masood

Shan Masood expressed a readiness to embrace risks and enhance the team’s Test performance. The southpaw stated that the team is considering the possibility of adapting pitch conditions to suit the team’s strengths.

“It is also essential to assess in which conditions our team will thrive. It’s possible that in such conditions, bowling-friendly pitches may not be available. In that case, creating seam-friendly or spin-friendly wickets may be necessary, and you may need to consider playing an extra bowler in such situations,” Shan further stated.

We Need To Explore All Combinations – Shan Masood

The left-handed batter emphasized the team’s openness to experimentation with different combinations and a willingness to take risks. Masood acknowledged that the team missed opportunities in recent matches in Australia.

“We need to explore all combinations, but I think one thing we are ready for is to take risks. We are prepared to improve our game, we are ready to enhance the quality of our Test. I think if we look at it realistically, we had two very good chances to win Test matches in Australia. We didn’t win, but we took steps in the right direction,” he concluded.

The forthcoming task for Pakistan is a five-match T20I series in England in May, before the T20I World Cup 2024. Pakistan has failed to win the T20 World Cup since 2009. The team was unable to secure the title in the recent tournament, finishing as runners-up.

Also read: PAK vs AUS: “Shan Masood Is Doing Great…” – Mohammad Amir After Pakistan’s Dismal Outing In Australia