Cricket

Pakistan's remarkable comeback series victory against England was marred by a post-match controversy involving legendary commentator Ramiz Raja and skipper Shan Masood. Raja's interview with Masood drew criticism on social media, prompting a strong reaction from pacer Mohammad Amir.After Pakistan's opening Test defeat to England, they rallied to win the next two matches and secure a 2-1 series triumph. However, Raja's post-match interview with Masood raised eyebrows."There are two things that you will see. One is how to play on seaming conditions and the other thing is if it is a one-off. How did you achieve this, six losses in a row?" Raja asked Masood.Masood responded: "Ramiz bhai, we needed this win. The nation needed this win and I am really happy for Pakistan."The interview sparked outrage on social media, with many fans criticizing Raja's tone and questioning his motives. Amir also took to Twitter to express his displeasure, calling Raja's comments "unprofessional."Raja later issued a clarification, stating that his intention was not to belittle Masood but to highlight the team's struggles in recent months.Masood, breaking his silence on the matter, said he holds no grudges against Raja. "There are no hard feelings from my side," he told BBC Stumped. "I've always been an open book in front of the media and tried to conduct myself in the best possible way."Masood also addressed the absence of Babar Azam from the second and third Tests against England. He expressed hope that the break would benefit Azam in the upcoming white-ball series against Australia.

Pakistan's Test captain Shan Masood believes that Babar Azam's temporary absence from the Test squad will ultimately benefit the star batsman. Babar was omitted from the Pakistan squad for the last two Tests against England, which Pakistan won to claim the series 2-1, after a prolonged lean patch.Masood, in an interview with BBC Stumped, expressed his confidence in Babar's abilities, stating that he is "one of the best batsmen in the world" and has the potential to be "one of the greatest batsmen in Test cricket." He emphasized that sometimes players need a break to regain their form.Pakistan has indicated that Babar's absence from the Test side is temporary, as he has been called up for the upcoming white-ball series against Australia. Masood expects Babar to "come back a stronger player" after his break.Masood also discussed his role as captain and the changes in the selection process. He emphasized the importance of collective decision-making and praised the new selectors for their collaboration. He stated that the team's focus is on taking 20 wickets and that they believe playing on used pitches with three spinners will benefit them.Regarding the controversial post-match interview with commentator Ramiz Raja, Masood expressed no hard feelings. He stated that he is open to constructive criticism and is focused on reflecting his character in a positive way.

Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja has defended his post-match comments to Test team captain Shan Masood, which sparked controversy and criticism. Raja's remarks, particularly his question about Pakistan's six consecutive losses, drew flak from fans and former players, including pacer Mohammad Amir.Raja, speaking on his YouTube channel, clarified that his intention was not to undermine the team's achievement but to explore how they overcame recent struggles. He dismissed the backlash as part of the social media landscape, saying, "Pakistan zinda hi social media pe hai" (Pakistan lives on social media).Raja expressed frustration with how people misinterpret his comments, adding, “If I lived my life based on social media narratives, I wouldn’t be in this field. There are many uninformed opinions from people who haven’t played cricket but act like experts.”He also underlined that he did not intend to question Shan Masood's captaincy and expressed disbelief at how quickly the conversation spiralled into controversy. "When Bangladesh won 2-0, I didn’t ask for anyone to be removed. Why would I question Shan's captaincy after a series win?" Raja argued.Earlier, Mohammad Amir had publicly criticized Raja for his remarks, suggesting that the former chairman should have focused on celebrating the series win rather than bringing up past failures. In a viral video, Amir remarked, “You should celebrate the series win. There is a series-winning captain sitting next to you. You should have asked him about the win, next plans. But you are making fun of him. Have some respect. You are literate people and you should behave like one as well. Where the credit is due, you should give it. I was feeling so bad for Shan. Ramiz has been doing on-air duties for so long now and he has no idea what to ask a winning captain."Raja's comments have sparked a debate about the role of former players in criticizing current teams and players. Some believe that former players have a responsibility to provide constructive criticism, while others argue that they should be more supportive and avoid undermining the team's achievements.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has finally announced the revised central contracts for the men's cricket team, nearly four months after they were due. The contracts have undergone significant changes, with several players moving up or down the categories.Shan Masood, who recently led Pakistan to their first Test series win since July 2023, retains his spot in Category B. However, his position is uncertain, as the PCB has stated that his retention is "subject to captaincy." This announcement comes amidst speculation about Masood's future as Test captain after Pakistan lost their first six Tests under his leadership.Babar Azam, despite missing the last two Test matches against England due to poor form, remains in the highest category. Shaheen Afridi, on the other hand, drops down to the second tier, leaving Mohammad Rizwan as the only other A category player.Fakhar Zaman, who has been a regular in the central contracts for the past eight years, has been dropped for the first time. Concerns over his fitness and a deteriorating relationship with the PCB are believed to be the reasons behind his omission.The board issued a show-cause notice to Zaman after he criticized the decision to drop Babar Azam on Twitter. The post remains up, and Zaman has not apologized, with the matter reportedly being handled by his legal team.Imam-ul-Haq, Zaman's long-time ODI opening partner, also misses out on a central contract. There has been a general deflation in categories across the board, with only five players out of 25 in the A or B categories compared to 11 last year.Sajid Khan and Noman Ali, who did not feature in last year's contracts, have made a comeback after their impressive performances against England. Both players have been placed in the C category, with Noman's inclusion subject to fitness.Several new players have been awarded maiden central contracts, including Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Hurraira, Usman Khan, and Irfan Khan. All five players have been placed in the D category.The PCB has maintained the same three-year deal structure for central contracts, giving players their highest pay raises in history and a fixed share of revenue from the PCB's earnings at the ICC. The contracts will be backdated to cover the period starting July 1, 2024, and will run for another 12 months before a revision can be made.

Pakistan's captain, Shan Masood, displayed remarkable leadership and team spirit after their impressive 9-wicket victory over England in the third Test. The triumph secured a 2-1 comeback series win for Pakistan, and Masood's post-match comments highlighted the importance of collective success over individual achievements.When questioned about his own form, Masood expressed frustration at the negative framing of the question. He emphasized that the team's victory was paramount, and that individual statistics were secondary. "The team has won, yet you're still seeing negatives," Masood replied. "You haven't found anything positive."Masood praised the selflessness of the batting unit, explaining how they adjusted their approach to suit the challenging conditions. "We made sacrifices to take 20 wickets," he said. "Our focus on these pitches is to take 20 wickets, even if it affects our scores."Despite scoring a century in the series-opening loss, Masood's scores in the subsequent Tests were lower. However, he remained focused on the team's success. "Your batting unit sets up a good match, and some players might score low," he said. "Rizwan and I adapted, even playing against our natural styles."Masood emphasized that individual performances should be valued from the team's perspective, not individually. "This is a team game," he said. "Individual performances are valued from the team's perspective, not individually."Pakistan's victory was a testament to their resilience and determination. Masood's leadership and the team's collective spirit played a crucial role in their success.

Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja has come under fire for his insensitive and unprofessional behavior towards Pakistan captain Shan Masood during a live television interview following the team's series triumph over England.In the post-match show, Raja, instead of celebrating the team's hard-fought victory, chose to taunt Masood about Pakistan's recent string of losses. He asked Masood, "How did you achieve six losses in a row?" This question was met with widespread criticism from former cricketers and fans alike.Left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir was particularly vocal in his condemnation of Raja's behavior. "You should celebrate the series win," Amir said. "There is a series winning captain sitting next to you. You should have asked him about the win, next plans. But you are making fun of him. Have some respect."Raja's behavior was seen as particularly inappropriate given that Pakistan's Test series win over England was their first on home soil since 2021. It was also their first series win over England since 2015.Raja's actions have raised questions about his suitability for his role as a commentator. Many have argued that his personal biases and lack of professionalism make him unfit to provide objective analysis of cricket matches.The incident has also highlighted the importance of respecting players and their achievements. Masood and his team had just accomplished a significant victory, and Raja's taunts were a disrespectful and unnecessary way to treat them.

Pakistan's cricket team celebrated a resounding victory over England in the second Test in Multan, leveling the series 1-1 and ending an 11-match winless streak at home. The triumph marked the first win for Shan Masood as captain, who took over the reins last year.Masood's leadership was instrumental in Pakistan's strategic changes after their loss in the first Test. The team dropped Babar Azam and opted to play three spinners on a reused pitch. This move proved effective as England, resuming at 36-2, could only add 108 more runs.Spinner Noman Ali emerged as the hero for Pakistan, taking eight wickets in England's second innings with figures of 8-46. Sajid Khan supported him with 2-93, wrapping up England's innings at 144. Noman finished with a match haul of 11-147, while Sajid had 9-204. This was only the second time in Pakistan's history that two bowlers took all 20 wickets in a Test match.Noman Ali's performance was particularly impressive, as he dismissed key England batsmen Joe Root and Harry Brook. He also took the wickets of Jamie Smith, Captain Ben Stokes, Brydon Carse, Jack Leach, and Shoaib Bashir. This performance surpassed his previous best of 7-70 against Sri Lanka last year.Pakistan's bowlers dominated throughout the match, with Sajid Khan dismissing Ollie Pope early. England's position worsened at 78-5 when these key players were dismissed. Noman Ali continued to dominate, taking the remaining wickets to secure Pakistan's first home win in over three years.The decisive third and final Test will start on October 24 in Rawalpindi, where Pakistan will aim to seal the series victory.

Brendon McCullum, England's coach, has dismissed suggestions that his team has been exposed on spinning pitches, despite Pakistan's captain Shan Masood expressing a desire for another turner in the series decider in Rawalpindi.Pakistan's radical overhaul of their strategy in the second Test in Multan, which included the addition of three spinners and the use of the same pitch for a second week, paid off handsomely. Sajid Khan and Noman Ali shared 20 wickets to set up a series-levelling 152-run win.However, McCullum believes that England's defeat was not due to a lack of ability against spin. "We were outplayed in this game," he said. "We'll see what Rawalpindi's got to offer and we'll try and adapt accordingly."Masood, on the other hand, is hoping for a drier pitch in Rawalpindi that will assist the spinners. "I would like to see the ball turn in the third Test," he said. "We want to get 20 wickets wherever we play, and we want to back that up with the bat."McCullum, however, predicted that the surface will be "the antithesis of the green seamer" for the decider. "I actually don't mind," he said. "We said right at the outset that we'll try to adapt to whatever conditions we come up against."Despite England's recent struggles on the subcontinent, McCullum is confident that his team has the ability to handle spinning conditions. "We've got a pretty good record here [in Pakistan]," he said. "Even that Test match we won in India, that was probably the most extreme of the spinning conditions. I don't know: we'll find out. I certainly don't mind if it spins in the next one. I think we've got the artillery to be able to handle it."McCullum also defended England's aggressive approach with the bat during the second Test. "We saw in this Test match that so many wickets fell to people trying to hang in there," he said. "It was those that were prepared to be brave enough to sweep, reverse-sweep, put the opposition under pressure, who were actually able to score runs."

Pakistan's Test victory over England in Multan has brought a sense of relief to captain Shan Masood and the team, who had endured a four-year home winless streak. Masood emphasized the importance of the win, stating that it was a step towards addressing the unacceptable recent results.The victory was achieved through a bold strategy that involved overhauling the team's template and bringing in three uncapped spinners. The decision to reuse the same pitch as the first Test also proved crucial. Masood reiterated the team's unwavering commitment to taking 20 wickets in Test matches, regardless of the conditions.The gamble paid off as spinners Sajid Khan and Noman Ali shared all 20 English wickets, marking the first time since 1972 that two players have been responsible for all opposition wickets in a Test match. Masood praised the spinners' performance, acknowledging that they bowled like seasoned campaigners.Masood emphasized the need to take risks in order to achieve the desired results. He acknowledged that Pakistan had lost many matches while pursuing this approach, but the recent victory justified the strategy. However, he also recognized the need to adapt to different conditions, leaving open the possibility of a different approach in Rawalpindi.Despite the victory, Masood remained cautious, acknowledging that the team's journey was far from over. He expressed hope that the win would mark the beginning of a new era for Pakistan cricket, where they could consistently perform well in their home conditions.