Shan Masood is reportedly on the verge of being dismissed as Pakistan’s Test captain following a defeat in the Multan Test.
According to a report from Samaa TV, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering replacing him after a series of unsuccessful home games under his leadership. Pakistan’s recent loss against England, where an innings defeated it, has intensified scrutiny of Masood’s captaincy.
In a post-match press conference, Masood expressed disappointment over the defeat, highlighting England’s ability to capitalize on opportunities. “It is disappointing to lose again. England found a way to win the match; they created their window of opportunity. The harsh reality is that test cricket-quality sides find a way to win matches,” he stated.
The report suggests Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, and Salman Ali Agha as potential successors to Masood. Despite Masood’s impressive 151-run innings that contributed to Pakistan’s substantial first-innings total, England overtook it with a declaration at 823 for 7, featuring standout performances from Harry Brook and Joe Root.
Masood remarked on the challenges of taking 20 wickets, a necessity for winning in Test cricket, which his team struggled with recently. “I wouldn’t say my team is mentally weak, but we expected this pitch to break by the third day onwards, so we prolonged our innings. But at the end of the day, you have to find ways to take 20 wickets, and we are not doing that in recent times,” he explained.
He also noted the lack of interaction with the pitch curator or groundsmen and the daily adjustments needed for playing conditions. “Both squads were different this time in Multan. But Masood added that we need to improve on adapting to conditions and situations every day of a test and find ways to win as the pitch changes every day,” Masood added.
Masood acknowledged the team’s repetitive mistakes, stressing the need for learning and adaptation to overcome ongoing challenges.
