ISLAMABAD: Pakistan captain Shan Masood rebuked a journalist for a “lack of respect” by insinuating that Masood lacked the autonomy to make decisions regarding the pitch and team lineup following a significant loss to the West Indies in the second Test at Multan on Monday.
In response to their Test defeat against England last year, Pakistan has adopted a fresh approach to playing on deteriorating pitches. That loss marked the continuation of an 11-match winless streak at home, prompting the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to overhaul their selection committee, which included the removal of Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi from the series.
Since then, Pakistan cricket has been rife with drama. On the field, the team bounced back to secure victories in their next three home matches, while off the field, the resignation of red-ball coach Jason Gillespie made headlines.
The former Australian fast bowler chose not to accompany the team to South Africa, expressing that he felt “utterly blindsided” by the PCB’s decision to part ways with Tim Nielsen, the high-performance coach.
The defeat to the West Indies, marking their first victory in Pakistan in over 34 years, was particularly significant as it was the team’s first home loss since the initial Test against England in Multan.
Prior to this setback, Pakistan had triumphed in their last two Tests against England and had won the opening match against the West Indies. This recent defeat has also seen them slip to ninth place in the World Test Championship points table.
Following the recent defeat, Masood faced the media but was visibly unsettled by a journalist’s inquiry that suggested the loss stemmed from a “compromise” and questioned when he would assert his authority over the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The journalist insinuated that the PCB was heavily influencing team selections, leaving Masood with little autonomy.
The question posed was: “The last time the team visited Multan, Pakistan suffered a significant loss to England. As we approach the second Test, it seems serious matters have arisen, leading to your apparent compromises—hinting at the diminished roles of both yourself and the coaching staff following the defeat, which also saw the resignation of two coaches.”
“Do you believe today’s outcome was a result of your inability to make independent decisions? We finished the first World Test Championship (WTC) in sixth place, the second in seventh, and now we find ourselves at the bottom. Will you take charge of your decisions, or will you continue to defer to the PCB?”
Masood, who smirked during the inquiry, was clearly irritated and responded with “Next question,” before elaborating further. “Look, regarding your comments on the last two WTCs, I have no response. If we’re discussing facts, let’s stick to the facts; your information is quite inaccurate. Changes to the team don’t automatically lead to improvements. We announced our lineup for the second Test against the West Indies the night before because we had a rest day and practised two days prior.
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“Against England, we had four to five days to prepare after assessing the pitch. We believed we selected the best XI based on the conditions. While I respect your opinion, I urge you to also respect the players. The PCB is the ultimate decision-maker, and all decisions made have been accepted by me and the team.”
He added, “We represent our country, and we are part of your community as well. No one will stand for disrespect in this manner. Your question carried a tone of disrespect. By framing it that way, you aimed to belittle someone, and you succeeded. However, our commitment is to Pakistan, and all our efforts are directed towards achieving positive results for our nation.”
Masood defends spin-friendly pitches
Masood further expounded on the adjustments made to the pitch conditions, which have been tailored to favour spin bowling.
“The modifications to the pitch conditions were implemented with the aim of securing victories for Pakistan. We’ve triumphed in three out of four matches—the sole defeat could have been avoided had we not made errors on the opening day.
“If we are experimenting with new strategies, investing our efforts, and willing to take risks, that should be recognized. It’s essential to first conduct research and understand the context before offering criticism.”
This isn’t the first instance of Masood clashing with the media. Following last year’s loss to England, the PCB’s media manager had to intervene when a journalist questioned whether Masood had considered resigning due to a series of defeats.