Shan Masood has acknowledged that his future as Pakistan's Test captain is now beyond his control, following Bangladesh's historic 2-0 series sweep with a 78-run victory in Sylhet on Wednesday. The defeat has pushed Pakistan to the eighth position in the nine-team World Test Championship standings, intensifying scrutiny on Masood, who has now overseen 12 losses in 16 Tests since taking over in December 2023.
Captaincy decision with PCB
Addressing questions about his leadership after yet another series defeat, Masood stated that the decision regarding his captaincy rests entirely with the Pakistan Cricket Board. "I don't want to criticise or praise anyone. Why we are not doing well in Test cricket… I will sit down with the board and discuss this. As far as the captaincy is concerned, it is for the board to decide," Masood remarked.
Apology to fans
Masood also offered a direct apology to supporters, acknowledging the disappointment of another failed campaign but urging a measured response. "I can understand the emotions of the people with the result and I can only offer my sincere apologies for the loss, but we can't look at things emotionally and we have to find a way to do well in Test matches," he said. The 36-year-old emphasized that despite the scoreline, Pakistan had opportunities in both matches and needed to reflect on where they fell short.
"It's never good to lose games. In both matches we had significant chances, but we need to reflect on where we lost the game in batting, bowling and fielding if we want to move forward as a side," Masood added.
Praise for pitches
Masood also praised the surfaces prepared for the series, calling them ideal Test wickets. "The pitches were very good Test tracks. They were good for batting and had something in them for the spinners and also pace and movement," he said.
Bangladesh's historic achievement
Bangladesh's victory marked their first home Test series win over Pakistan, following a 2-0 triumph in Pakistan in 2024, making it a second successive sweep against their Asian rivals. Spinner Taijul Islam starred with six wickets in the second innings, bowling Pakistan out for 328 while defending a target of 437. Mohammad Rizwan fought valiantly with 94, but Pakistan's chase ended in the first session.
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said the team handled the pressure better than in previous contests. "Every player and member of the support staff contributed, and as captain I feel very proud of the team's work ethic," Shanto remarked.
