Shan Masood 'Proved Himself' In English Conditions: Misbah-ul-Haq

After a failure in his first tour to England in 2016, Shan Masood proved himself with a career-best knock of 156 runs against the home side in the first innings. In the process, he joined the likes of head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and batting consultant Younis Khan, to become one of the six Pakistan cricketers to notch up three consecutive Test centuries.

Shan Masood went about his innings patiently. He did not score ample of runs against Chris Woakes and Dom Bess, with every potential to score the slowest half-century for Pakistan in the longest format. His head coach Misbah-ul-Haq is might pleased with his performance, more so at it came against James Anderson, Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer.

Haq also mentioned that his hard work has paid off and now he has proved himself in England. “It was an excellent performance by him, especially against a seam attack of (Stuart) Broad, (James) Anderson, (Chris) Woakes and (Jofra) Archer, and against an off-spinner (Bess) that was bowling well on a pitch where there was turn,” said Misbah of the English-educated Masood’s fourth hundred in 21 Tests.

It was good application and his hard work has paid off.

“Now he has proved himself here in England, so I’m really pleased, especially as it’s not (just) a hundred, (but) a big hundred.

“Still, we would have been in trouble if he only scored a hundred. But hundred-and-fifty plus, and through the innings, that was really special,” Misbah-ul-Haq said.

Masood also has a lot of strange connection with England. In his last tour, he scored a total of 71 runs – as he was dismissed by James Anderson in both innings. He shares his academic roots in England.

Masood pursued his early education at Stamford school, Lincolnshire before joining Durham University to study economics. He later joined the Loughborough University to study Management and Sports Sciences through distance learning programme.

He learnt the ropes of cricket from England Test wicket-keeper Graeme Fowler and played first-class matches against Ben Stokes, Mark Wood, Liam Plunkett and Gary Ballance.