"It had an effect on the world" - Shan Masood in awe of England's aggressive approach in Test cricket
Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood hailed Ben Stokes-led England's style of playing the red-ball format ahead of the upcoming Test series betwee the two sided, claiming it to have had a profound impact on the world. Masood observed that England have been responsible for unlocking a new way of playing Test cricket.
Since Stokes took over as captain and Brendon McCullum became their coach, England have unleashed an ultra-aggressive style of playing Test cricket. This approach reached crescendo during their tour of Pakistan in 2022 when they smacked 506 on day 1 of the opening Test. The tourists eventually won the series 3-0, forcing wins on docile surfaces.
Speaking at a presser on Sunday ahead of the first Test of the upcoming series, the left-handed batter stated that England showed the world how to evolve as a team. He said, as quoted by The Guardian:
"It had an effect on the world. We are always playing our best cricket when we’re not giving too much about the result and we’re playing an exciting brand of cricket when it is fearless, taking the game to the opposition. The best thing England did is realise there are other perspectives and things that might suit you. The key is to find new ways of doing things. That is how the world has always progressed and cricket is no different. You try and evolve and create new ways and England have been pioneers in that."
The home summer that year itself had been a watershed moment in England cricket. They had successfully chased down four consecutive totals of over 250, including a 378 against India at Edgbaston.
"There is a lot of hurt within the players" - Shan Masood
Masood also admitted that 2024 has been a nightmarish year for Pakistan and that the players are desperate to make things right. The 34-year-old added:
"We kept getting into winning positions but the game slipped from our hands. Those are things we need to learn from. The challenge is to make sure that we finish games off. There is a lot of hurt within the players. 2024 has not been a good year for Pakistan cricket all over and we like to see our fans happy. We are hurt. The answer is to be positive. We let the past go."
The opening Test between Pakistan and England will be hosted by Multan.