Shan Masood discusses monumental series win against England

RAWALPINDI: After defeating England on Saturday and winning the test series, Pakistan skipper Shan Masood discussed the monumental win at a press conference.

Masood was immediately hit with some tough questions. One reporter stated that Masood’s performances were concerning, after expressing that its essential for a captain to lead at the front.

“It’s a team game, not an individual one” a slightly frustrated Masood said, after pointing out that even after winning, reporters were focusing on the negatives. He went on to say that “the batting unit made a sacrifice” knowing that the pitch would make it difficult for the batters to score a high total, but would be beneficial for the bowlers. Earlier in the week, the Rawalpindi pitch was dried out using heaters, windbreakers, and fans, in order to benefit spin bowlers like Noman Ali and Sajid Khan.

“Over here we don’t look at individual performances whether they are good or bad,” Masood said, adding that “we will look at those performances from the team’s perspective.”

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“We need characters in this team, and in the last couple games we got characters that contributed in the field, with the bat, and with the ball,” Masood said.

He then reiterated sentiments he held before the series even began, stating that “if you wont back the players then you will chop and change the team.”

Another reporter asked how much of a relief it was for Masood to have won a match after losing six in a row, to which Masood responded that he never felt any “individual pressure”.

“At the end of the day, its not my name, it’s a responsibility,” Masood said, later expounding by stating that the goal is to take Pakistan cricket forward.

“This should be the aim for everyone, whether your part of the media, one of the players, a member of the board, or a fan. We all want to see Pakistan win,” the captain said.  

Masood was irked once more when asked what Pakistan would do in the future when facing tough teams such as Australia and South Africa abroad.

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“Is England a small team?” the captain asked rhetorically, adding that the question was disrespectful to the opposition they had just competed against. On the subject of playing abroad, in conditions they can’t control, Masood brought attention to the fact that even for the Pakistani players, it was the first time playing on a Rawalpindi pitch that favours spin bowlers.