Pakistan captain Shan Masood slammed his bowlers after loosing the Multan Test match on Friday, October 11. Pakistan went 0-1 down in the 3-match series despite scoring 556 runs in the first innings of the game. However, they were not able to contain England’s batters in the flat pitch at Multan and ended up losing the match by an innings and 47 runs.
This is the first time in Test match history that a team lost by an innings despite hitting 500+ runs after batting first. Masood pointed fingers at his bowlers and said that they needed to learn how to pick up 20 wickets in a game. Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Masood said that the bowlers had to back up the 550+ runs with 10 wickets.
England scored 823 runs in the first innings, with Harry Brook hitting his maiden triple hundred. Brook drove the England innings with Joe Root, who hit a double-century of his own in the Test match.
“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. When you put up 550 on the board, it’s important to back it up with 10 wickets. 220 runs in the third innings, depending 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,” Shan Masood said after the conclusion of the Test match.
Masood said that they were really hurt by the result. The Pakistan captain reiterated that they were not getting the results that Pakistan cricket deserved and that he was not someone to shy away from responsibility.
“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. We’re obviously 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,” Shan Masood concluded.
