Multan: After Pakistan's innings and 47-run defeat to England in Multan, captain Shan Masood offered a candid assessment of his team's performance and the challenges they face. Despite scoring a formidable 550 in their first innings, Pakistan was unable to capitalize on their batting success and struggled to take the necessary 10 wickets to secure a lead.
"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 and repercussions as a team. When you put up 556 on the board, it's important to back it up with 10 wickets. That's something we didn't do," Masood stated in the post-match presentation.
Masood highlighted the missed opportunity to restrict England's batting and the subsequent difficulty of chasing 220 runs on the fifth day. "If we take those 10 wickets and keep England around our score, maybe a bit more, then these 220 runs on the fifth day become challenging. So that's the key to work it out as a team - how can the batting and bowling in the first innings contribute to the team and hopefully set the match up. That's something we're struggling with," he explained.
Pakistan's captain praised England's ability to secure crucial wickets, emphasizing that Test matches cannot be won without taking 20 wickets. "We can learn from England as well. They've found a way to get those 20 wickets. Can't win Test matches without picking up 20 wickets. As a team, yes we have that second innings of batting to improve, but we have to learn to pick up 20 wickets. That's the challenge as a side going forward," Masood acknowledged.
Reflecting on the ongoing series, Masood stressed the importance of squad mentality and consistency. He pointed out that successful teams find ways to perform regardless of pitch conditions.
"We're in the middle of the series, we've talked about squad mentality and consistency. Where I'd like the team to improve is - no matter how the pitch is, we have to find a way out. England showed that. We have to give huge credit to them. Test quality cricket is the ultimate format. And in the ultimate format, you have to find out ways to get the opposition out," he said.
Masood's comments also touched on the emotional impact of the loss on the team and the nation, while expressing optimism for the future. "Sometimes you get conditions in your favour, sometimes you don't. But the best teams always find a way. And for us, the learning curve is how can we find ways of scoring runs and picking wickets.
It's a non-negotiable of Test cricket to perform on a regular basis. We love playing the game. We're obviously hurt by the results, hurt as a nation. But the beauty of the game is it always gives you another chance. Life gives you another chance. So the quick turnaround might be beneficial for us and we're looking forward to it," he added.
Taking responsibility for the team's performance, Masood expressed his commitment to turning things around. "I never try and shy away from responsibility. What hurts is that we're not getting the results that Pakistan cricket deserves. We're all trying hard, we're going to give it our all. And we are going to try and turn it around. We take the responsibility upon our shoulders. We have to get it right as a squad and as a cricket playing nation," he concluded.