Shan Masood rules out major changes, backs players for England Test series

Shan Masood said that Pakistan are ‘on track’ with their preparations for the Test series against England. After taking over from Babar Azam last year, Masood has lost all five Tests as the Pakistan captain. Recently, under his leadership, the Tigers lost 2-0 to Najmul Hossain Shanto’s Bangladesh at home.

Pakistan also got whitewashed at home in a Test series for the second time after England beat them 3-0 in 2022. Masood said that he was ‘frustrated’ by Pakistan’s recent performances, but also talked about the importance of staying optimistic to recover from the losses.

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"The series is crucial for us to regain the confidence of our fans and supporters of Pakistan cricket. It is frustrating the way we have performed in recent times but our preparations for the England tests are on track," Masood said in a media conference, as quoted by PTI.

“It was very disappointing to lose the way we did but we have to keep faith in the players and pass on the message about continuity and security. But yes hopefully they will come good against England," he said.

Easy to make changes’

Masood said that Pakistan would not ring in a lot of changes in their squad. He said that the team needs support in tumultuous times.

“We are at a critical juncture as a team and we have to remain optimistic. The losses hurt, but it's important to support the team, especially during tough times.

“It’s easy to make changes after a loss, but if we want to move forward, we must support our players,” Masood added.

Pakistan’s opening Test against England starts on Monday, October 7 at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

‘Pakistan are currently languishing at eighth in the table in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle with 16 points from seven matches.

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