After Pakistan’s disappointing series defeat against Bangladesh, skipper Shan Masood emphasized the need for “consistency” in team selection. Pakistan suffered a six-wicket loss in the second Test in Rawalpindi, resulting in a 2-0 series sweep by Bangladesh. This marked a historic victory for Bangladesh, as it was their first Test series win against a team other than Zimbabwe and the West Indies.
Masood, who performed well individually—scoring 57 runs in the first innings and 28 in the second—addressed the challenges of team selection during the post-match press conference. He stressed the importance of giving players consistent opportunities to perform, saying, “We will have to work on bringing in consistency in selection. You will have to bear with players’ failures. It’s not just about Babar Azam; the more consistently you give a chance to someone, the better he will perform.”
He also highlighted the difficulty in finding players who can be “automatic selections” based on current form, particularly because Pakistan is not playing much red-ball cricket at the moment. Masood noted that the team fielded in the series was largely the same one that had been successful domestically and in international cricket.
Despite the series loss, Masood expressed that he is not overly concerned about the security of his captaincy. He stated, “I am not worried about my job security. I took this job to make the changes we believe will help this team. If I believe this team can go in a certain direction, even if my personal failure takes Pakistan in that direction, I will be content.”
The defeat has led to questions about Pakistan’s strategy and team management, especially considering the strong start they had in the first Test. However, the series also highlighted Bangladesh’s rise, as they moved to No. 4 in the ICC World Test Championship standings with a points percentage of 45.83, leapfrogging England.
In the decisive second Test, after being bowled out for 274 in their first innings, Pakistan managed to gain a slim 12-run lead thanks to a six-wicket haul from Khurram Shahzad. However, Bangladesh’s bowlers, led by Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana, struck back, reducing Pakistan to just 172 in their second innings. Chasing a target of 185, Bangladesh, despite some early losses, secured a six-wicket victory, with Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan guiding them home.
Masood’s call for consistency in selection reflects broader concerns within the team, as they look to regroup and improve their performance in future series.
