Rawalpindi: Following Pakistan's underwhelming performance in a series defeat against Bangladesh, captain Shan Masood has emphasized the necessity for the team to achieve 'consistency' in the selection of its players.
In the second Test match in Rawalpindi, Pakistan suffered a six-wicket defeat at the hands of Bangladesh.
Masood's standout performance in the first innings, scoring 57 runs from 69 balls at an impressive strike rate of 82.61, was highlighted. In the second innings, he contributed 28 runs from 34 balls.
During the post-match press conference, Masood addressed the challenges faced in the selection process.
"We must focus on establishing consistency in our selection criteria. It's important to have patience with players' shortcomings. It's not solely about Babar Azam; the more consistently we offer opportunities, the more likely a player will excel. We need to identify players who consistently perform well. Given that we are not currently playing in the Red Ball format, our options are limited. We have previously faced the same team in Australia, where we achieved success both domestically and internationally," Masood explained.
The captain also reassured that he is not concerned about the future of his role as skipper following the series defeat against Bangladesh.
"I am not concerned about my position. I took on this role with the intention of implementing changes that I believe will benefit the team. If I have faith in the team's ability to move forward, even in the face of personal setbacks, I will be satisfied. Regardless of the time I am given, I will be grateful for the opportunity and will strive to do my utmost," he stated.
The victory in the first match, which resulted in a 10-wicket win, marked Bangladesh's inaugural Test win against Pakistan. This achievement was further solidified in the second Test match, marking a historic milestone for the team.
This series win is also Bangladesh's first Test series victory (of two matches or more) against teams other than Zimbabwe and the West Indies, as recognized by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The victory has elevated Bangladesh's position in the ICC World Test Championship rankings, propelling them to the fourth place with a points percentage of 45.83, surpassing England.
On the fifth day, Bangladesh commenced with a score of 42/0, facing the daunting challenge of scoring 143 more runs to secure victory. They began the morning session with a steady progress, steadily approaching the target without resorting to excessive risk-taking. An additional 80 runs were amassed in the morning session. However, they were dismissed by both openers within a span of 12 runs.
Despite the early setbacks, the seasoned duo of Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul Haque managed to put together a 57-run partnership, maintaining Pakistan's momentum. Shanto was dismissed shortly after lunch for 38, and Haque was out for 34, leading to a slight pause in Bangladesh's performance.
Nonetheless, the veteran pair of Mushfiqur Rahim (22*) and Shakib Al Hasan (21*) persevered, guiding Bangladesh to victory without further complications.
In the earlier part of the Test, following their decision to field first, Bangladesh delivered another commendable performance, dismissing Pakistan for a modest total of 274 runs. Despite contributions from captain Shan Masood and the opening batsman Saim Ayub, Mehidy Hasan Miraz's five-wicket haul, along with three wickets from Taskin Ahmed, ensured that Pakistan's first-innings score remained within striking distance.
Pakistan, however, responded with exceptional skill, with Khurram Shahzad spearheading the charge with a six-wicket haul, securing a narrow lead of 12 runs for the home team.
The Bangladesh bowlers were not deterred. Two additional stars emerged for the visitors--24-year-old Hasan Mahmud and 21-year-old Nahid Rana--who combined for nine wickets, as Pakistan crumbled for just 172 runs in the second innings. This set Bangladesh a challenging target of 185 runs with four sessions remaining in the match.
The match was prematurely halted on Day 4 due to adverse weather and poor lighting conditions, but it only served to prolong the inevitable outcome, as Bangladesh clinched the Test with six wickets to spare.
