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Shan Masood speaking during a press conference ahead of the First test Match against West Indies:
“This is our last Test series in the current ICC World Test Championship cycle, and we would like to finish it on a winning note. Every match in this format holds great importance, and we are committed to giving it our all to end the campaign with a memorable series win.
“West Indies are a decent side with a lot of talented players. They bring a unique style to the game, and we know they will push us hard. Test cricket is about adapting to challenges, and as a team, we are prepared to respond to whatever comes our way.
“The series win against England at home has given us a lot of confidence and momentum. We are fully focused on putting in strong performances and carrying forward that winning attitude.”
Question: Where do you understand that the team falls behind and you are not able to win?
“Everyone tries to give their best performances, individually and team-wise as well. One thing that is making a difference is the way we are playing cricket and the matches that have happened in this one year that we have come into winning positions and we have lost matches from winning positions. So, this is the thing that, while giving our best, we have to think about and to improve on, the matches we have lost, apart from one-sided matches, all the others are such matches where we have dominated and come into good positions, but we haven't finished that Test match. So, the lesson for this team is how we can convert the matches that we are losing after coming into good positions into wins.”
About pitches and spin attack like last home series against England:
“Whatever the pitch is, a Test match is a five-day cricket, and in five days we don't know how long the match will last. So, you have to keep an option somewhere that, okay, if this is a seaming pitch, then somewhere perhaps you might need one or two spinners too. If this is a spinning pitch, then somewhere you might need one or two seamers too. Roles change. Where there is a spin track, the spinners bowl more. The reliance on fast bowlers is either on the new ball or on reverse swing. We kept Aamer Jamal in the team last time too, but we have to see the match situation, we have to see the opposition. Wherever needed, fast bowlers will definitely bowl.”
About two-tier system:
“Some things that happen are for decision-makers to decide and that is their domain. The structure of cricket, the way it will be played, the system, the format, the decision makers which include your cricket boards and the ICC, they are involved. Players can express their wish, and our wish is that we all play more Test cricket. The biggest setback this year for most Test-playing nations is that we are all playing four to five Test matches. I think we need to play more Test matches. We need to understand this thing that Test match is a completely different cricket. Its physical and mental demands are completely different.”
“If you are ending one series, one season, and your next match is after 10 months, like this year our next Test match is against South Africa after 10 months. When we went to Australia last year, the Bangladesh series was after 10 months. So, this is a challenge for all of us. If you ask any cricketer's wish, Test cricket is the ultimate format. The performances there feel better to you than any other cricket. So, the biggest wish of any cricketer right now is that Test cricket and its best format.”
“If it is a two-tier system, then how will it be, how many teams will be in the first division, how many in the second? How will relegation and promotion work? It should be exciting, something that engages the fans more in Test cricket, and it should be such that every team can play against each other.”
Planning about the next World Test Championship cycle:
“First of all, even if this Test Championship is ending, its importance always remains. This series is very significant. You become a good team when it is difficult to defeat you in your own conditions, and you win in your conditions. If you look at the best Test teams in the world that have played the World Test Championship cycles, they have always won at home, and by going away, they have won one or two series. It is more difficult to play away. So, we won one series from England. We have started a momentum. So, this is very important series for us that how we can play with a set pattern in our home conditions and bring consistent results.”
“Whether our next series is 10 months away, it is very important for us how we are setting ourselves up for the next Test Championship, that the three home series we play, we become such a team that it is difficult to defeat us, and we win our three home series. Then, by going away, we will see which one or two series we can target and win, which will give us a chance to play in the World Test Championship final.”
“If you ask any player, playing for Pakistan is the biggest honor. I have played all three formats. I consider myself very fortunate. It's my passion, and representing my country in everything. Until last year, I was playing all three formats. My effort is that whatever cricket I play, I try to perform in it, present good numbers, and wherever I get a chance, I play happily. And this is everyone's wish that they play for Pakistan”
About playing 11:
“Some things need to be seen. If the team was absolutely 100% sure in my mind, I would have definitely announced it in the opening statement. The weather has also changed a bit. We have had one or two changes in the team due to injury. Abrar Ahmed, at that time, was sick, they have returned to the team. We also have to make a decision about one or two fast bowlers. Aamer Jamal was not in the squad, who was there in the previous one. So, there are some things, we will decide calmly and the effort will be to maintain consistency and field a combination that gives us the full chance to win this match.”
About dropping Mohammad Abbas for this series:
“As a captain, as a decision-maker in my tenure, even though there have been many changes in terms of selectors, in terms of management, the effort has been that your squad is never of 15, you have a whole roster of 20-25 players. And if you see, for Australia, in which we announced a team for the camp before the Australia tour, which was my first assignment, from then till now, there might be additions from outside on one hand; otherwise, all the others are from that same group of 20-25 players.”
“Mohammad Abbas was there, we felt that in South Africa, the conditions were such that they would suit him, in which he would be the number one bowler for the Pakistan team. Here the conditions have changed. We have always done this that even if you see before, when Sajid Khan and Noman Ali came in the middle of the England series, we also rested the three fast bowlers who played before. So, these are the things, we have to see the conditions, we have to see the opposition, we have to see the pitch. The effort is to keep everyone as part of that 20-25 player roster, and communicate with them. And communication has been done with Mohammad Abbas and everyone has been explained about their role.”
“If you come to batting also, in the last series I went from number three to opener. Babar Azam came at number three. When Saim was unfit, Babar Azam also opened. So, these are the things we all have to do for the team and sometimes you also have to understand that, in these conditions, my requirement is not there, and someone else comes at this position wins the match for Pakistan. So, when you create a good roster of 20-25 people, they will take you forward in a World Test Championship.”
The batting order of Pakistan:
“I still think that the batting order is quite settled and in Test cricket, it is very important to maintain continuity. Batting always has to support the bowling. Where you have to take 20 wickets, you also have to score runs according to that, how many runs will allow your bowlers to take those 20 wickets.”
“The challenge for batting is that we have come into some positions as a batting unit where we could have killed the game, we didn't kill it there, and we didn't take the innings long. So, how can we post such scores in which our bowlers can bowl freely, can attack, and get us 20 wickets? The conditions will be fully assessed; we will think thoroughly and see how to fill the one slot that is currently vacant for this Test series.”
“This is our last Test series in the current ICC World Test Championship cycle, and we would like to finish it on a winning note. Every match in this format holds great importance, and we are committed to giving it our all to end the campaign with a memorable series win.
“West Indies are a decent side with a lot of talented players. They bring a unique style to the game, and we know they will push us hard. Test cricket is about adapting to challenges, and as a team, we are prepared to respond to whatever comes our way.
“The series win against England at home has given us a lot of confidence and momentum. We are fully focused on putting in strong performances and carrying forward that winning attitude.”
Question: Where do you understand that the team falls behind and you are not able to win?
“Everyone tries to give their best performances, individually and team-wise as well. One thing that is making a difference is the way we are playing cricket and the matches that have happened in this one year that we have come into winning positions and we have lost matches from winning positions. So, this is the thing that, while giving our best, we have to think about and to improve on, the matches we have lost, apart from one-sided matches, all the others are such matches where we have dominated and come into good positions, but we haven't finished that Test match. So, the lesson for this team is how we can convert the matches that we are losing after coming into good positions into wins.”
About pitches and spin attack like last home series against England:
“Whatever the pitch is, a Test match is a five-day cricket, and in five days we don't know how long the match will last. So, you have to keep an option somewhere that, okay, if this is a seaming pitch, then somewhere perhaps you might need one or two spinners too. If this is a spinning pitch, then somewhere you might need one or two seamers too. Roles change. Where there is a spin track, the spinners bowl more. The reliance on fast bowlers is either on the new ball or on reverse swing. We kept Aamer Jamal in the team last time too, but we have to see the match situation, we have to see the opposition. Wherever needed, fast bowlers will definitely bowl.”
About two-tier system:
“Some things that happen are for decision-makers to decide and that is their domain. The structure of cricket, the way it will be played, the system, the format, the decision makers which include your cricket boards and the ICC, they are involved. Players can express their wish, and our wish is that we all play more Test cricket. The biggest setback this year for most Test-playing nations is that we are all playing four to five Test matches. I think we need to play more Test matches. We need to understand this thing that Test match is a completely different cricket. Its physical and mental demands are completely different.”
“If you are ending one series, one season, and your next match is after 10 months, like this year our next Test match is against South Africa after 10 months. When we went to Australia last year, the Bangladesh series was after 10 months. So, this is a challenge for all of us. If you ask any cricketer's wish, Test cricket is the ultimate format. The performances there feel better to you than any other cricket. So, the biggest wish of any cricketer right now is that Test cricket and its best format.”
“If it is a two-tier system, then how will it be, how many teams will be in the first division, how many in the second? How will relegation and promotion work? It should be exciting, something that engages the fans more in Test cricket, and it should be such that every team can play against each other.”
Planning about the next World Test Championship cycle:
“First of all, even if this Test Championship is ending, its importance always remains. This series is very significant. You become a good team when it is difficult to defeat you in your own conditions, and you win in your conditions. If you look at the best Test teams in the world that have played the World Test Championship cycles, they have always won at home, and by going away, they have won one or two series. It is more difficult to play away. So, we won one series from England. We have started a momentum. So, this is very important series for us that how we can play with a set pattern in our home conditions and bring consistent results.”
“Whether our next series is 10 months away, it is very important for us how we are setting ourselves up for the next Test Championship, that the three home series we play, we become such a team that it is difficult to defeat us, and we win our three home series. Then, by going away, we will see which one or two series we can target and win, which will give us a chance to play in the World Test Championship final.”
“If you ask any player, playing for Pakistan is the biggest honor. I have played all three formats. I consider myself very fortunate. It's my passion, and representing my country in everything. Until last year, I was playing all three formats. My effort is that whatever cricket I play, I try to perform in it, present good numbers, and wherever I get a chance, I play happily. And this is everyone's wish that they play for Pakistan”
About playing 11:
“Some things need to be seen. If the team was absolutely 100% sure in my mind, I would have definitely announced it in the opening statement. The weather has also changed a bit. We have had one or two changes in the team due to injury. Abrar Ahmed, at that time, was sick, they have returned to the team. We also have to make a decision about one or two fast bowlers. Aamer Jamal was not in the squad, who was there in the previous one. So, there are some things, we will decide calmly and the effort will be to maintain consistency and field a combination that gives us the full chance to win this match.”
About dropping Mohammad Abbas for this series:
“As a captain, as a decision-maker in my tenure, even though there have been many changes in terms of selectors, in terms of management, the effort has been that your squad is never of 15, you have a whole roster of 20-25 players. And if you see, for Australia, in which we announced a team for the camp before the Australia tour, which was my first assignment, from then till now, there might be additions from outside on one hand; otherwise, all the others are from that same group of 20-25 players.”
“Mohammad Abbas was there, we felt that in South Africa, the conditions were such that they would suit him, in which he would be the number one bowler for the Pakistan team. Here the conditions have changed. We have always done this that even if you see before, when Sajid Khan and Noman Ali came in the middle of the England series, we also rested the three fast bowlers who played before. So, these are the things, we have to see the conditions, we have to see the opposition, we have to see the pitch. The effort is to keep everyone as part of that 20-25 player roster, and communicate with them. And communication has been done with Mohammad Abbas and everyone has been explained about their role.”
“If you come to batting also, in the last series I went from number three to opener. Babar Azam came at number three. When Saim was unfit, Babar Azam also opened. So, these are the things we all have to do for the team and sometimes you also have to understand that, in these conditions, my requirement is not there, and someone else comes at this position wins the match for Pakistan. So, when you create a good roster of 20-25 people, they will take you forward in a World Test Championship.”
The batting order of Pakistan:
“I still think that the batting order is quite settled and in Test cricket, it is very important to maintain continuity. Batting always has to support the bowling. Where you have to take 20 wickets, you also have to score runs according to that, how many runs will allow your bowlers to take those 20 wickets.”
“The challenge for batting is that we have come into some positions as a batting unit where we could have killed the game, we didn't kill it there, and we didn't take the innings long. So, how can we post such scores in which our bowlers can bowl freely, can attack, and get us 20 wickets? The conditions will be fully assessed; we will think thoroughly and see how to fill the one slot that is currently vacant for this Test series.”
