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"We can’t achieve two years’ worth of goals in a single day, but we’re carrying positives forward": Shan Masood

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Shan Masood speaking during the press conference ahead of the first Test match against South Africa:

“We came very close once in South Africa. We won the away series against Sri Lanka in the last cycle. So, if you want to do well in the Test Championship, obviously, home form counts a lot. And along with that, getting at least one result in an away series—or ideally winning the whole series—is also important. But you can't achieve two years' worth of goals in a single day. As I said, we need to learn lessons. We're carrying some positives forward, too. For us, what's important now is how we perform in the next 10 days of cricket and how we can start well.”

About spin-friendly conditions:

“First and foremost, the team’s target is to take 20 wickets. And as I’ve said before, there are many ways to win cricket matches. It won’t help us if we prepare a flat track where both teams score 600 runs and the match ends in a draw. To win matches, sometimes you have to sacrifice runs. You have to create situations and conditions where you can take 20 wickets and win the match. So based on these conditions, the message is clear: we need contributions and performances that suit the match situation. Whether it’s 30 runs, 50 runs, or someone scoring a hundred—these things will obviously be analyzed once the series ends to understand what worked best in these conditions.”

“Even in the last series, if we look back, I think 200-250 runs in the first innings were very important. But obviously, Gaddafi Stadium is a new ground for us. We haven’t played Test cricket there in the previous cycle. So, we’ll have to judge quickly what kind of scores are good here, how much we need to restrict the opposition to. There are many things we’ll learn along the way.”

About Asif Afridi’s debut:

“We’ve kept things quite flexible. We’re playing cricket after quite a gap. Red-ball preparation was essential. We wanted every player to be in a position where they feel ready to play tomorrow. So those who had plans to go and play Trophy matches were allowed to do so, and those who had done enough preparation stayed here to get familiar with these conditions. We’ve been very flexible with the players.”

“Sajid Khan has been our main spinner in these conditions. He’s a very integral part of the team. Unfortunately, he had a viral flu, but he returned today, bowled, and trained. We’ll consult with the medical department. I think if you were making a team sheet, Sajid Khan would be one of the first names on it. So, we’ll take our time and make a well-thought-out decision. Right now, we have maybe 12 or 13 names in mind, but we’ll take our time to finalize based on player fitness. Just like Sajid fell ill, we’ll need time to make the right decision.”

About making more balanced wickets at home, so it will be easier when playing overseas:

“First of all, I’ll come back to the same point—that the runs depend on the conditions and the required score. So whether someone is in form or not, we’re not looking at it that way. We’re looking at what the conditions demand. How many runs do we need to score so that when our bowlers take 20 wickets, those runs contribute to a match-winning performance?”

“Again, the target is clear, the message is clear: you don’t necessarily need to score a hundred in every match. In low-scoring conditions, even 50 or 60 runs can be a very valuable contribution.”

“In spin-friendly conditions, it’s simple—you have to take advantage of your home conditions. If you look at the successful teams in the World Test Championship, winning at home is absolutely essential. So, our primary objective is to create conditions in our three-home series where we are obviously more familiar. We've played against England, West Indies, and now South Africa. After this, we have two more home series. I think we’ll be more used to these conditions compared to other teams. So again, it’s up to us to win as many matches at home as possible, so that when we go away, we only need to win one or two series to stay in contention.”

About his own performance and input in the playing XI:

“If you give me numbers, I’ll respond accordingly. But on performance, I’ve consistently said we’re playing in conditions where taking 20 wickets is more important. We don’t want to produce the kind of wickets that historically led to drawn Tests in Pakistan. If we want to do well in the World Test Championship, we need to win matches. Often, we talk about averages—if someone averages 50, they’re a great Test player; if it’s 40, still very good. But we need to lower our expectations a bit, even for myself. If you look at the last WTC cycle, I was among Pakistan’s top run-scorers. But unfortunately, because the results didn’t go our way, we all consider it a collective failure. Now, the focus is on how we can take 20 wickets and score enough runs to win matches. Sometimes you won’t get the runs you expect—there are conditions where scoring 200 isn’t possible. So, comparisons should be made condition-to-condition. Hopefully, as we play more cricket in these conditions, everyone will get a better idea.”

“Secondly, when we released the 18-man squad, we clearly said it was an extended squad. We did that to cover all bases—we hadn’t played cricket in eight months. We wanted to include top performers from the Hanif Mohammad Trophy, like Aamir Jamal and Faisal Akram. They’re still part of the squad. But when the Test match starts, you can’t keep 18 players. And when first-class cricket is happening, it’s better for players to play than sit out. Ideally, you want to keep 13–14 players and let the rest play first-class cricket, because players improve by playing. But due to concussion protocols and substitution laws, you still need 15–16 players available at any time.”

About three specialist spinners in tomorrow’s match and the approach in this series:

“We’ve mostly gone with a 3–1 combination in these conditions. But we’ve also kept reverse swing options in our seam attack in case spin doesn’t work as expected. We always have the option to play two fast bowlers. As I mentioned, Sajid was unfortunately ill, so we still have decisions to make regarding our playing XI. If the conditions tomorrow dictate a 3–1 setup, we’re already leaning that way.”

“Secondly, every batter has their own style and approach depending on the conditions. If the ball is dominating, as a batter, you can always get a good delivery. So, the goal should be to maximize your runs while you’re at the crease. Personally, that’s always my aim. But every batter has their own strengths and role, and we’ll try to ensure they contribute to the team in the best possible way.”​
 
The issue is, their goals keep on changing

Shan initially wanted to be a leader who stamps aggressive batting authority with a team scoring at 4-5 runs per over in the innings….and seamers doing heavy damage to take wickets


Now he finds himself in a management that wants to go in the traditional, kachra subcontinent style of Test cricket where spinners wreck the opponent…

There are guys in this team that are too soft as cricketers to play this brand of cricket.
 
The issue is, their goals keep on changing

Shan initially wanted to be a leader who stamps aggressive batting authority with a team scoring at 4-5 runs per over in the innings….and seamers doing heavy damage to take wickets


Now he finds himself in a management that wants to go in the traditional, kachra subcontinent style of Test cricket where spinners wreck the opponent…

There are guys in this team that are too soft as cricketers to play this brand of cricket.
They're all too soft :inti
 
Let's see what benefit they will reap from spin-friendly pitches.
Shan Masood speaking during the press conference ahead of the first Test match against South Africa:

“We came very close once in South Africa. We won the away series against Sri Lanka in the last cycle. So, if you want to do well in the Test Championship, obviously, home form counts a lot. And along with that, getting at least one result in an away series—or ideally winning the whole series—is also important. But you can't achieve two years' worth of goals in a single day. As I said, we need to learn lessons. We're carrying some positives forward, too. For us, what's important now is how we perform in the next 10 days of cricket and how we can start well.”

About spin-friendly conditions:

“First and foremost, the team’s target is to take 20 wickets. And as I’ve said before, there are many ways to win cricket matches. It won’t help us if we prepare a flat track where both teams score 600 runs and the match ends in a draw. To win matches, sometimes you have to sacrifice runs. You have to create situations and conditions where you can take 20 wickets and win the match. So based on these conditions, the message is clear: we need contributions and performances that suit the match situation. Whether it’s 30 runs, 50 runs, or someone scoring a hundred—these things will obviously be analyzed once the series ends to understand what worked best in these conditions.”

“Even in the last series, if we look back, I think 200-250 runs in the first innings were very important. But obviously, Gaddafi Stadium is a new ground for us. We haven’t played Test cricket there in the previous cycle. So, we’ll have to judge quickly what kind of scores are good here, how much we need to restrict the opposition to. There are many things we’ll learn along the way.”

About Asif Afridi’s debut:

“We’ve kept things quite flexible. We’re playing cricket after quite a gap. Red-ball preparation was essential. We wanted every player to be in a position where they feel ready to play tomorrow. So those who had plans to go and play Trophy matches were allowed to do so, and those who had done enough preparation stayed here to get familiar with these conditions. We’ve been very flexible with the players.”

“Sajid Khan has been our main spinner in these conditions. He’s a very integral part of the team. Unfortunately, he had a viral flu, but he returned today, bowled, and trained. We’ll consult with the medical department. I think if you were making a team sheet, Sajid Khan would be one of the first names on it. So, we’ll take our time and make a well-thought-out decision. Right now, we have maybe 12 or 13 names in mind, but we’ll take our time to finalize based on player fitness. Just like Sajid fell ill, we’ll need time to make the right decision.”

About making more balanced wickets at home, so it will be easier when playing overseas:

“First of all, I’ll come back to the same point—that the runs depend on the conditions and the required score. So whether someone is in form or not, we’re not looking at it that way. We’re looking at what the conditions demand. How many runs do we need to score so that when our bowlers take 20 wickets, those runs contribute to a match-winning performance?”

“Again, the target is clear, the message is clear: you don’t necessarily need to score a hundred in every match. In low-scoring conditions, even 50 or 60 runs can be a very valuable contribution.”

“In spin-friendly conditions, it’s simple—you have to take advantage of your home conditions. If you look at the successful teams in the World Test Championship, winning at home is absolutely essential. So, our primary objective is to create conditions in our three-home series where we are obviously more familiar. We've played against England, West Indies, and now South Africa. After this, we have two more home series. I think we’ll be more used to these conditions compared to other teams. So again, it’s up to us to win as many matches at home as possible, so that when we go away, we only need to win one or two series to stay in contention.”

About his own performance and input in the playing XI:

“If you give me numbers, I’ll respond accordingly. But on performance, I’ve consistently said we’re playing in conditions where taking 20 wickets is more important. We don’t want to produce the kind of wickets that historically led to drawn Tests in Pakistan. If we want to do well in the World Test Championship, we need to win matches. Often, we talk about averages—if someone averages 50, they’re a great Test player; if it’s 40, still very good. But we need to lower our expectations a bit, even for myself. If you look at the last WTC cycle, I was among Pakistan’s top run-scorers. But unfortunately, because the results didn’t go our way, we all consider it a collective failure. Now, the focus is on how we can take 20 wickets and score enough runs to win matches. Sometimes you won’t get the runs you expect—there are conditions where scoring 200 isn’t possible. So, comparisons should be made condition-to-condition. Hopefully, as we play more cricket in these conditions, everyone will get a better idea.”

“Secondly, when we released the 18-man squad, we clearly said it was an extended squad. We did that to cover all bases—we hadn’t played cricket in eight months. We wanted to include top performers from the Hanif Mohammad Trophy, like Aamir Jamal and Faisal Akram. They’re still part of the squad. But when the Test match starts, you can’t keep 18 players. And when first-class cricket is happening, it’s better for players to play than sit out. Ideally, you want to keep 13–14 players and let the rest play first-class cricket, because players improve by playing. But due to concussion protocols and substitution laws, you still need 15–16 players available at any time.”

About three specialist spinners in tomorrow’s match and the approach in this series:

“We’ve mostly gone with a 3–1 combination in these conditions. But we’ve also kept reverse swing options in our seam attack in case spin doesn’t work as expected. We always have the option to play two fast bowlers. As I mentioned, Sajid was unfortunately ill, so we still have decisions to make regarding our playing XI. If the conditions tomorrow dictate a 3–1 setup, we’re already leaning that way.”

“Secondly, every batter has their own style and approach depending on the conditions. If the ball is dominating, as a batter, you can always get a good delivery. So, the goal should be to maximize your runs while you’re at the crease. Personally, that’s always my aim. But every batter has their own strengths and role, and we’ll try to ensure they contribute to the team in the best possible way.”​
 
“Carrying positives forward”, possibly another term for Shan Masood carrying the weight of so many past learns in his shoulder….
 
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