Shan Masood Pinpoints “Area Of Concern” Post Defeat To West Indies

January 27, 2025: It seems like Pakistan’s struggles in finishing off the tail end of the opposition’s batting line-up are becoming a consistent issue, and it’s good that Shan Masood has highlighted this concern.

When a team is on top, like Pakistan was with the West Indies at 38/7, the ability to clean up the tail quickly is crucial. In many cases, a lower-order fightback can turn the tide, and that’s exactly what happened with Motie, Warrican, and Roach helping to lift the West Indies to a respectable total.

Masood’s comments on the team’s collective mistakes during the first innings are insightful, especially in terms of how small mistakes, like failing to dismiss the tail quickly or not having enough contributions from the middle order, can have significant impacts on the game. He also mentioned the need for batters to chip in with 30s and 40s rather than expecting hundreds all the time, which is a crucial observation for conditions where runs can be hard to come by.

Despite the disappointing finish to the World Test Championship cycle, it sounds like Masood is taking a measured approach, emphasizing teamwork and the need to learn from the margins that influenced the results. His focus on adapting to conditions and having one batter step up in the tough moments is spot on, particularly when playing in challenging home conditions.

It’ll be interesting to see how Pakistan approaches the next phase of their Test journey, especially with their batting and bowling combining in a more balanced way.