Pakistan’s Test captain Shan Masood has taken full responsibility for his team’s 2-0 series defeat to Bangladesh, admitting that the team was not adequately prepared for the grind of red-ball cricket. The loss marked Bangladesh’s first-ever series victory over Pakistan in the longest format of the game.
Masood, speaking at the post-match press conference, emphasized the need to move forward quickly, stating, “I take responsibility for the defeats and I apologize to the nation. But I think we need to focus on how we can improve and take our Test side forward.”
He acknowledged that the team’s performance was hampered by the lack of red-ball cricket experience, a sentiment shared by the team’s head coach, Jason Gillespie. “There is no excuse for losing this series and we accept that. But it is also a fact that the players also wanted to do well. But we were just not prepared for red ball cricket. We have to tolerate some failures if we are to move forward,” Masood explained.
To address this issue, Masood outlined several key areas for improvement. He called for a concerted effort to develop a strong pool of fast bowlers, noting that the team’s bowling attack struggled to make a consistent impact in the second Test after dropping Shaheen Shah Afridi and resting Naseem Shah. “The main thing is that we need to build our stocks in fast bowling and need to encourage and give consistent chances to those bowlers who regularly play red ball cricket,” Masood said.
Masood also stressed the importance of fitness and intensity over the course of a five-day Test match. “In Test cricket, you need to have the fitness to last five days and also have the intensity for five days and I think that is one area in which we really need to work a lot more. I think because of this we couldn’t capitalise on the opportunities to push Bangladesh out of the game,” he added.
The Pakistan captain defended his team’s selection decisions, insisting that they chose the best possible XI for the conditions. However, he acknowledged the need for more red-ball cricket at all levels, starting with the domestic circuit. “Thing is we need to play more red ball cricket. That is the bottom line,” Masood emphasized.
Masood also offered his support to Babar Azam, the senior batter who struggled for runs throughout the series. He attributed Babar’s poor form to the lack of red-ball cricket at the domestic level, making it challenging to find ready replacements. “We are not playing red ball cricket even at domestic level, so how do we replace out-of-form players. But Babar has made runs in the past and he will do it again,” Masood said.
Gillespie echoed Masood’s sentiments, praising the captain’s leadership while acknowledging the team’s collective shortcomings. “Shan, I feel, has led the side very well. We just haven’t played well as a team and that’s the reality,” Gillespie said. “We need to sharpen up on certain areas. I really want to back and believe in these players. They are good enough and have shown glimpses of how good we are. We just need to do it more often and consistently,” he added.
The series defeat has highlighted Pakistan’s need for a comprehensive overhaul of their red-ball strategy, focusing on developing a strong bowling attack, improving fitness levels, and creating a more robust domestic red-ball cricket structure. Only then can they hope to compete effectively against the top teams in the world.
