Pakistan’s Test skipper, Shan Masood talked about the team’s strategy for the first Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, starting on Wednesday. During a press conference on Tuesday, Shan explained the reason behind picking up four pacers in playing XI for the much awaited Test match.
This is the first time for Shan Masood is leading Pakistan Test team in a home series with Saud Shakeel serving as his deputy.
According to a report in Cricket Pakistan, Shan stated that Rawalpindi’s conditions have historically favored seamers and batters, with spin not playing a significant role.
“In Rawalpindi, whenever we have played domestic cricket, the conditions have favored the seamers and the batters. Spin-bowling hasn’t been such big threat. So we want to take what we do in domestic cricket forward rather than applying something new, which we don’t normally get in Rawalpindi,” Shan said.
When asked why Mohammad Ali was selected over Mir Hamza, Shan emphasized the importance of the specific role each bowler plays in the team.
“If you look in isolation, you can argue that why this particular bowler was preferred over another,” Shan explained.
Shan Masood led Pakistan has opted a four-man pace attack for the match, including Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Ali and Khurram Shehzad.
“We believe Mohammad Ali is well-suited for this role. He hits the deck hard, can move the ball in the air with the seam, and has that extra pace. It’s not about one bowler being better than another, but rather about who fits the conditions best,” he concluded.
Pakistan Playing XI: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Khurram Shehzad, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
