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Shan Masood speaking in a Press-conference after beating England in the 2nd Test match:
About the re-used pitch and 3-spinners attack:
"Pakistan cricket needed this win badly. We had discussed earlier that the recent results were not acceptable. But it's a relief now. If you ask any cricketer, fan, or anyone who follows cricket, they'll say that this win was crucial for Pakistan cricket.”
“We haven’t had any problems taking risks since I've been here. We've always tried to play cricket that yields results. We've lost some matches in the process, but the goal is to create a team that can deliver results everywhere. This was a good start, and the partnership between the batters and bowlers, which I mentioned earlier, was the key.”
Formula to win the match at home with spinners:
“It's a long process. It's not something that can be achieved overnight. There are many things that need to be done. In Test cricket, it's non-negotiable that you need to take 20 wickets. You can only win a match without taking 20 wickets if the opposing team declares and sets you a target. We've seen in the fourth session that the conditions are not always batting-friendly. You might get one or two pitches out of 10 that are favorable. So, we need to create a team that understands the conditions and can take 20 wickets regardless of the pitch, whether it's flat, seaming, or spinning. We need to find combinations that can deliver results.”
“In this match, we got a lead, and that helped us. The pressure of setting a target in the third innings was eased because of the 75-run lead. If we had to score 200-220 runs, it would have been a different story. But with a 300-run target, it was a bit easier.”
About criticism:
“Personally, I try to take criticism constructively and try to learn from it. This is not about me; it's about Pakistan cricket and the team. We've all felt the pain of losing, and we wanted to turn things around. Our effort in this match was to give our best every day, and today was about taking those eight wickets and the team's effort was evident to everyone."
About reused surface and similar pitch for Rawalpindi:
“It's not an overnight process. When you look at other teams, like Australia, for example, they know that in Brisbane, they're going to get a bouncy track that will seam around. In Sydney, they're likely to play two spinners. For us, the first step is to assess our home conditions and understand the differences between each ground. We cannot adopt a strategy where we assume we need a spin-friendly wicket everywhere. We need to know the characteristics of each ground to become a good Test team.”
“What was encouraging for us was not just winning on a spinning wicket, but changing our strategy at the last minute and responding to that change. That’s something we can build on moving forward. So, for me, the challenge to the team would be: whether we play on a flat pitch or a seaming one, how can we take 20 wickets, and how can we, as a batting unit, back up those 20 wickets with the required runs?”
Turning wicket in Rawalpindi and is it even possible to make such a pitch there?
“I'm not sure if I've seen a turning wicket in Rawalpindi, but that's another issue. What we want is a team that can win anywhere. Last week, England's effort was commendable; they found a way to secure 20 wickets, and that's the kind of test side we want to be. We need to get 20 wickets wherever we play and back that up with strong batting. This isn't about making excuses for our batting performance. The batting has its role, but its primary job is to support the bowlers in securing those 20 wickets and winning the game for Pakistan.”
“We're still hoping that the sun can play its part and keep the wicket on the drier side, but it remains to be seen. We'll arrive in Rawalpindi on the 20th and have a look. The groundsmen are already there, working on the Test match pitch, and we'll try to create a good Test wicket where both teams can pick up 20 wickets.
Who takes credit for the decision to re-use the pitch?
“It's a team game, so it's a team effort. I like to give credit to everyone involved. I'm happy with the win, and I want to acknowledge the coaches, the selectors, and the players. You have to step up for five days when you're playing one of the best teams in the world, and to beat them in any condition speaks volumes about the team, especially after facing some adverse conditions and circumstances. So, I'm happy to give credit to everyone who was involved in making the team, and deciding the conditions. At the end of the day, it's all about Pakistan cricket. We are all stakeholders, and we have to make sure we do what's best for Pakistan and try to implement that.”
About the re-used pitch and 3-spinners attack:
"Pakistan cricket needed this win badly. We had discussed earlier that the recent results were not acceptable. But it's a relief now. If you ask any cricketer, fan, or anyone who follows cricket, they'll say that this win was crucial for Pakistan cricket.”
“We haven’t had any problems taking risks since I've been here. We've always tried to play cricket that yields results. We've lost some matches in the process, but the goal is to create a team that can deliver results everywhere. This was a good start, and the partnership between the batters and bowlers, which I mentioned earlier, was the key.”
Formula to win the match at home with spinners:
“It's a long process. It's not something that can be achieved overnight. There are many things that need to be done. In Test cricket, it's non-negotiable that you need to take 20 wickets. You can only win a match without taking 20 wickets if the opposing team declares and sets you a target. We've seen in the fourth session that the conditions are not always batting-friendly. You might get one or two pitches out of 10 that are favorable. So, we need to create a team that understands the conditions and can take 20 wickets regardless of the pitch, whether it's flat, seaming, or spinning. We need to find combinations that can deliver results.”
“In this match, we got a lead, and that helped us. The pressure of setting a target in the third innings was eased because of the 75-run lead. If we had to score 200-220 runs, it would have been a different story. But with a 300-run target, it was a bit easier.”
About criticism:
“Personally, I try to take criticism constructively and try to learn from it. This is not about me; it's about Pakistan cricket and the team. We've all felt the pain of losing, and we wanted to turn things around. Our effort in this match was to give our best every day, and today was about taking those eight wickets and the team's effort was evident to everyone."
About reused surface and similar pitch for Rawalpindi:
“It's not an overnight process. When you look at other teams, like Australia, for example, they know that in Brisbane, they're going to get a bouncy track that will seam around. In Sydney, they're likely to play two spinners. For us, the first step is to assess our home conditions and understand the differences between each ground. We cannot adopt a strategy where we assume we need a spin-friendly wicket everywhere. We need to know the characteristics of each ground to become a good Test team.”
“What was encouraging for us was not just winning on a spinning wicket, but changing our strategy at the last minute and responding to that change. That’s something we can build on moving forward. So, for me, the challenge to the team would be: whether we play on a flat pitch or a seaming one, how can we take 20 wickets, and how can we, as a batting unit, back up those 20 wickets with the required runs?”
Turning wicket in Rawalpindi and is it even possible to make such a pitch there?
“I'm not sure if I've seen a turning wicket in Rawalpindi, but that's another issue. What we want is a team that can win anywhere. Last week, England's effort was commendable; they found a way to secure 20 wickets, and that's the kind of test side we want to be. We need to get 20 wickets wherever we play and back that up with strong batting. This isn't about making excuses for our batting performance. The batting has its role, but its primary job is to support the bowlers in securing those 20 wickets and winning the game for Pakistan.”
“We're still hoping that the sun can play its part and keep the wicket on the drier side, but it remains to be seen. We'll arrive in Rawalpindi on the 20th and have a look. The groundsmen are already there, working on the Test match pitch, and we'll try to create a good Test wicket where both teams can pick up 20 wickets.
Who takes credit for the decision to re-use the pitch?
“It's a team game, so it's a team effort. I like to give credit to everyone involved. I'm happy with the win, and I want to acknowledge the coaches, the selectors, and the players. You have to step up for five days when you're playing one of the best teams in the world, and to beat them in any condition speaks volumes about the team, especially after facing some adverse conditions and circumstances. So, I'm happy to give credit to everyone who was involved in making the team, and deciding the conditions. At the end of the day, it's all about Pakistan cricket. We are all stakeholders, and we have to make sure we do what's best for Pakistan and try to implement that.”
