Pakistan’s Test captain, Shan Masood, is reportedly set to be removed from his leadership role following the conclusion of the ongoing three-match series against England. According to sources within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the 34-year-old opener’s tenure as captain could come to an end due to a string of poor results, including Pakistan’s recent heavy defeat in the first Test at Multan.
Under Masood’s leadership, Pakistan has failed to win a single Test at home, a troubling statistic that has put the captain under increasing pressure. The loss in the series opener against England added to the captain’s woes, with Pakistan becoming the first team in Test history to lose a match after posting over 500 runs in the first innings.
In the Multan Test, Pakistan set a formidable target with a first-innings total of 506, thanks in large part to Masood’s brilliant 151. However, England’s response was nothing short of dominant, as they declared their innings at a staggering 823/7, bolstered by a sensational 317 from Harry Brook and 262 from Joe Root. Pakistan could not recover, losing the match by an inning.
In the aftermath of the defeat, a disappointed Masood reflected on the match and the team’s struggles. “It is disappointing to lose again. England found a way to win the match; they created their window of opportunity. The harsh reality is that quality sides in Test cricket find a way to win,” Masood told the media.
The Test skipper was also critical of his team’s inability to adapt to the conditions, particularly on the Multan pitch, which he noted did not behave as expected. “We expected the pitch to break by the third day onwards, which is why we prolonged our innings. But at the end of the day, you have to find ways to take 20 wickets, and we are not doing that in recent times,” he added.
Masood also highlighted that while the pitch was the same for both teams, a good first innings score is vital in Test cricket to gain control of the match, especially when playing on a surface that evolves over the course of the game. “You have to put up a good first innings score so that you’re in the driving seat for the third and fourth innings and then find windows to take 20 wickets,” he said.
Despite the captain’s best efforts, Pakistan’s inability to capitalize on their first-innings total and their struggles to take wickets have raised serious concerns within the team. The skipper himself admitted that Pakistan had not learned from past mistakes and was repeating them.
As the series progresses, there is growing speculation that Masood will be replaced as Test captain after the final match. According to reports from Pakistan’s Samaa TV, potential candidates to take over the role include middle-order batsman Saud Shakeel, wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, and all-rounder Salman Ali Agha.
Masood’s leadership has been under scrutiny since the start of the England series, and while his performances as a batsman have been commendable, his tenure as captain has been marred by inconsistent team performances and tactical shortcomings.
The PCB is expected to make an official announcement regarding the captaincy after the conclusion of the series, as Pakistan looks to regroup and make necessary changes ahead of future Test matches.
