Masood elated with first series win as Pakistan captain after six consecutive defeats
Shan Masood recorded his first series win as Pakistan Test captain after their victory over England in Rawalpindi.
There’s finally light at the end of the tunnel for Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood, who had to endure six losses to start his stint before turning it around against England.
Masood, who succeeded Babar Azam as Test captain in 2023, initially faced a 3-0 whitewash by Australia and then a 2-0 home series upset defeat to Bangladesh in August-September 2024.
England added to the pressure with a commanding win in the first Test, but Masood’s side fought back, clinching the series 2-1 in a comeback that marked his first series victory as captain.
Noman, Sajid spin Pakistan to historic series victory against England
Reflecting on the win, Masood said, “I never felt individual pressure as a captain. Ultimately, it’s not about my name but the responsibility of representing Pakistan—whether as a player or a captain.”
“We were hurt that we lost six matches to begin my tenure. We unfortunately couldn't carry forward the positives from the Australia series into the Bangladesh series and the first game against England.
“At the end of the day, Pakistan cricket should move forward and that's our collective aim. We want to win games and make Pakistan proud.
“It was painful but the way the players, the management and the selectors have responded amidst this chaos, it's a huge characteristic."
Pakistan had to make big calls after defeat in the first Test, where they lost after scoring 556 in the first innings. With a new selection committee stepping in after the loss, the team opted to rest key players like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah.
In a shift in strategy, Pakistan prepared spin-friendly pitches and introduced Noman Ali and Sajid Khan into the lineup. The results were immediate and impactful – the spin pair claimed 20 and 19 wickets across the two remaining Tests, propelling Pakistan to two decisive victories.
Masood shed light on this revamped approach, crediting it as a turning point that led to the team’s remarkable comeback.
“When we lost the first match, we sat down and discussed how we can make a team that can get us 20 wickets,” Masood said. “A lot of the credit goes to the new selection committee.
“When we then decided that we can get spin-friendly pitches and play on a used wicket in Multan, we took a look at who our next best spinners are. We looked at who brings a lot of experience.
“Sajid and Noman were part of the squad against Bangladesh as well. They didn't play because of the seam-friendly conditions at the time. We also wanted to bring Zahid Mahmood back and induct Mehran Mumtaz.
“In the last series against Bangladesh, we had six pacers but opted for four spinners as well as Agha Salman, Saim Ayub and Kamran Ghulam for this series. We thought we had the right spin resources to challenge England.”
Noman Ali (left) and Sajid Khan (right) scalped 39 of the 40 wickets that fell in the last two Tests // Getty Images
Noman Ali, joined by his spin partner Sajid Khan at the post-series press conference, expressed his satisfaction in delivering match-winning performances during such a memorable series victory.
“I am happy that we both (Sajid Khan and I) contributed,” Noman said. “We have struggled for some time while playing in Pakistan. We weren't able to put in match-winning performances, we would start well but we weren't getting the wins.
“We are glad that we got conditions like these, we got the opportunity and we won the series. We won in spin-friendly conditions, especially against a team like England.
“After what transpired in the first match, we are really happy how we bounced back in the series. We hope we get similar conditions in the future and we will trouble the teams coming home.”
WORLD TEST CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Despite their recent victories, Pakistan remains seventh in the World Test Championship standings, holding a points percentage of 33.33. Their next challenge will be a two-match away series against South Africa over the New Year, followed by a home series against the West Indies for two Tests in January 2025.