“We're hurt by the results, hurt as a nation” - Shan Masood on Pakistan’s loss to England by an innings and 47 runs in 1st Test
Pakistan captain Shan Masood expressed his disappointment as they lost the first Test against Ollie Pope's England by an innings and 47 runs in Multan on Friday, October 11. The reaction came as the Men in Green continued their poor streak at home in the last 11 Tests, unable to win a single game, losing seven, while four ended in draws.
This was Masood’s sixth consecutive loss in as many Tests as captain, including clean sweeps against Bangladesh and Australia.
In the post-match ceremony, Masood said (via Cricbuzz):
“We're hurt by the results, hurt as a nation. I never try and shy away from responsibility. What hurts is that we're not getting the results that Pakistan cricket deserves. We are trying to turn it around.”
Masood further slammed the bowling unit as Pakistan posted 556 in their first innings but still lost the game. England replied strongly with 823/7d in their first innings as Harry Brook and Joe Root played marathon knocks of 317 and 262, respectively. The hosts were bundled out for 220 in the second innings.
“When you put up 550 on the board, it's important to back it up with 10 wickets. 220 runs in the third innings, dependng on what kind of lead you have can also be a good score. England found a way to get those 20 wickets. We also have to find a way to do that. That's the challenge a side has to go forward," Masood added.
This was the second time in the last two months that Pakistan allowed the opposition to take the lead despite scoring big in the first innings. In August, Bangladesh had taken a 117-run first-innings lead after posting 565 in the first of the two-match Test series. England, meanwhile, took a 267-run first-innings lead in the first Test.
“No matter how the pitch is, we have to find a way out” – Shan Masood wants Pakistan to deliver in remaining Tests against England
Shan Masood hopes Pakistan bounce back in the remaining two Tests against England. He said during the ceremony:
“We're in the middle of the series, we've talked about squad mentality and consistency. No matter how the pitch is, we have to find a way out. England showed that. Sometimes you get conditions in your favour, sometimes you don't. It's a non-negotiable of Test cricket to perform on a consistent basis. We love playing the game.”
The 34-year-old added:
“We've spoken about the third innings or fourth innings, but at the end of the day it's a team game. Everything has its advantages or repercussions as a team.”
The Men in Green have the worst second-innings batting average (17.03) in Tests since 2023. Take a look:
The second Test between England and Pakistan will be played at the same venue, starting October 15.
Click here to check out the PAK vs ENG 1st Test scorecard.