Cricket

Pakistan's humiliating 10-wicket defeat to Bangladesh in their own backyard has sent shockwaves through the cricketing world. Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja has attributed the debacle to a combination of poor team selection, a lack of confidence in the fast bowlers, and skipper Shan Masood's inability to read the conditions.Raja believes that Pakistan's decision to field four pacers on a Rawalpindi track in August was a tactical blunder. "The Bangladesh fast bowlers seemed more penetrative while our bowlers were involved in more drama around their wickets," he said. "Since Pakistan did not have an out-and-out fast bowler on that track, even Bangladesh, with that line-up stood tall against our pacers with speeds around 125 to 135kmph."Raja also criticized Masood's leadership, saying that he "did not read the conditions well." "Shan Masood is currently on a losing streak," he said. "I felt, in Australian conditions, things are tougher and it was impossible for Pakistan team to win a series there. But you are now losing in home conditions, against a team like Bangladesh, because you did not read the conditions well."Raja urged Masood to improve his batting and leadership skills, or risk losing his place in the team. "He needs to work on his batting," he said. "It's not like he is a great captain and so if he keeps getting out ducks, he would still have his place in the side. Losing makes a huge dent in the team and the morale of the side."The defeat has raised serious questions about the future of Pakistan cricket. Raja believes that the team needs to rebuild its confidence and find a way to counter the attacking style of play that has been successful against them. "This debacle, a sort of a confidence crisis, started during the Asia Cup when India bashed our pacers on seaming conditions and then the secret was out to the world that the only way to counter this line-up was to attack," he said.

Pakistan's Test captain, Shan Masood, has defended his team's decision to field four fast bowlers and no specialist spinner in their opening Test match against Bangladesh, despite suffering a humiliating 10-wicket defeat.Masood's decision raised eyebrows, especially after Bangladesh's spinners, Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, combined to take seven wickets on the final day, dismissing Pakistan for a paltry 146 runs. However, Masood insisted that the pitch was expected to offer more assistance to the seamers."We had anticipated the pitch to offer more assistance to the seamers. Looking at the pitch, we expected it to do more," Masood said at the post-match conference. "If we played 3 fast bowlers, we would be pushing them to the limit and the spinner would be bowling 25-30 overs a day, which we wanted to avoid."Masood also explained that the decision to declare their first innings at 448 for six was made with the intention of pursuing a decisive outcome in the match."We wanted to go for a win in the match and thus felt we had enough runs on the board to declare. But the Bangladesh batters showed a lot of discipline and intent in their first innings. Mushfiq and Miraz batted really well," he added. "We felt that with 448 runs we could get a crack at them in the fourth innings."However, Pakistan's bowlers failed to make any inroads into Bangladesh's batting lineup, and the visitors chased down the modest target of 30 runs without losing a wicket.Masood acknowledged that the defeat was a disappointing start to Pakistan's home season, which includes seven home Tests and two away matches in South Africa."We just have to now get everything right and try to level the series in the world test championship," he said.Sunday's defeat was Shan's fourth straight defeat as captain after Pakistan's 0-3 whitewash at the hands of Australia last winter.

Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood's frustration boiled over in the dressing room during the third day of the first Rawalpindi Test against Bangladesh. A video of the incident, which has gone viral on social media, shows Masood engaged in an animated discussion with head coach Jason Gillespie, a legendary Australian pacer.While the exact reason for Masood's anger is unclear, fans have speculated that it may have been related to Babar Azam's dropped catch on the fourth day of the match. However, the video of Masood's outburst is from the third day, indicating that the two incidents are unrelated.On the fourth day, Azam dropped an easy chance at leg slip off the bowling of Agha Salman, giving Mushfiqur Rahim a reprieve. Rahim went on to score a brilliant 191, giving Bangladesh an outside chance of a maiden victory over Pakistan.The dropped catch has raised questions about Azam's form and focus, as he has struggled with the bat in recent matches. Masood's outburst, meanwhile, highlights the pressure and frustration that the Pakistan team is facing in this crucial Test match.Pakistan, who have lost 12 of their 13 Tests against Bangladesh, are trailing by 94 runs after Bangladesh posted a first-innings total of 565. The home team will need to bat well in their second innings to avoid defeat and level the series.

Pakistan Faces Early Setback in Rain-Delayed Test Against BangladeshPakistan's hopes of a strong start in the first Test against Bangladesh were dashed as they lost three crucial wickets in quick succession after being sent to bat first in Rawalpindi on Wednesday.Bangladesh pacer Shoriful Islam proved to be the tormentor-in-chief, claiming the prized scalps of Pakistan captain Shan Masood and star batter Babar Azam for a duck. Masood's dismissal sparked controversy as he engaged in a heated discussion with the umpires, adamant that he had not edged the ball to the keeper. However, replays confirmed the umpire's decision, leaving Masood visibly upset.Shoriful's delivery, pitched on a back of a length, generated a steep bounce, causing Masood to attempt a defensive push towards mid-off. Bangladeshi players appealed, and the umpire initially ruled in Masood's favor. However, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain opted for a review, which proved successful as the ultra-edge technology revealed a clear deflection.Pakistan's batting woes continued as Azam, the world's top-ranked batter, was dismissed for a duck in the following over. Shoriful again struck, this time with a delivery that swung away from Azam and clipped the outside edge of his bat.The early wickets put Pakistan in a precarious position, with the team's hopes resting on the shoulders of middle-order batters Azhar Ali and Fawad Alam. Bangladesh, on the other hand, will be buoyed by their early success and will look to capitalize on Pakistan's fragile batting lineup.The two-match series is part of the nine-team World Test Championship, with Pakistan currently sixth in the standings and Bangladesh eighth. Pakistan opted for an all-pace attack with four fast bowlers, while Bangladesh included three pacers and two spinners.

Pakistan vs Bangladesh 1st Test: Pakistan Aim to Extend Dominance in RawalpindiPakistan and Bangladesh will lock horns in the opening Test of their two-match series in Rawalpindi, with the hosts aiming to continue their unbeaten run against their rivals in the longest format.Pakistan has a commanding 12-0 head-to-head record against Bangladesh in Test cricket, having never lost a single encounter. The Bangla Tigers, however, will be buoyed by their recent series victory over New Zealand, while Pakistan suffered a defeat to Australia in their last Test outing.Despite the contrasting results, Pakistan remains the favorite heading into the series. Led by Shan Masood, the hosts boast a strong batting lineup featuring the likes of Babar Azam, Azhar Ali, and Fawad Alam. The bowling attack, led by Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali, is also formidable.Bangladesh, on the other hand, will be looking to break their losing streak against Pakistan and make a statement in the Test arena. The team has shown signs of improvement in recent times, and they will be hoping to challenge the hosts in Rawalpindi.The match is expected to be a closely contested affair, with both teams having their strengths and weaknesses. Pakistan will be confident of extending their dominance, while Bangladesh will be determined to prove that they are no longer the underdogs in Test cricket.

Pakistan's Test captain, Shan Masood, has emphasized the importance of establishing a winning mentality at home for the team's long-term success. He believes that until Pakistan can consistently triumph on home soil, they cannot aspire to qualify for the World Test Championship final.Masood's appointment as Test captain followed Babar Azam's resignation after Pakistan's disappointing exit from the 2023 ODI World Cup. Since international cricket returned to Pakistan in 2019, the Test side has struggled to make an impact at home. Australia and England have both comfortably won series in Pakistan, while the hosts have also failed to defeat New Zealand.Critics have accused the PCB and team management of preparing flat pitches against Australia, England, and New Zealand in 2022-23, fearing defeats. Pakistan's last Test series win came against South Africa in January 2021.Masood believes that Pakistan's lack of home advantage stems from their decade-long isolation from international cricket. "In Test cricket, you have to be familiar with certain conditions," he said. "We still haven't found our ideal way of playing at home that suits our batting, bowling, and overall style."Pakistan's red-ball head coach, former Australian pace bowler Jason Gillespie, hopes that playing seven out of nine Tests at home this season will help the team find the right formula. "I think we still need to figure out exactly what surfaces we want to be playing on which gives us the edge," said Gillespie.Masood is determined to create conditions that favor Pakistan's strengths. "We need to determine how we can create conditions that suit us more and put us in the driving seat, rather than just thinking about how we can cope with the opposition," he said.Pakistan's upcoming international assignments in July will provide a crucial test for Masood and his team. If they can establish a winning habit at home, they will take a significant step towards their goal of becoming a formidable unit on the international stage.

Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood has refuted claims made by teammate Naseem Shah regarding a language barrier between the team and foreign coaches. Masood emphasized that Pakistan has made significant progress in improving communication, citing the successful tenure of former head coach Mickey Arthur as an example.Naseem Shah had previously expressed concerns about communication difficulties with foreign coaches, stating that players prefer to interact with coaches in their native language. However, Masood strongly disagrees, highlighting the team's exposure to different dressing rooms and the presence of foreign support staff."I think now there is no communication gap," Masood asserted. "All of us have spent a lot of time in different dressing rooms. Foreign coaches have come before in Mickey's time. Mickey has come twice. Different assistant foreign coaches have come."Masood pointed out that Pakistan's backroom staff also includes personnel from overseas, including the strength and conditioning coach and physiotherapist. He believes that the players have gained valuable experience through playing in different leagues and franchises, including club cricket in England."Over the years, the boys have picked a lot of things, played in different leagues, played franchises. Some people have even gone to England and played club cricket in the past," Masood added.Pakistan is set to host Bangladesh for the first of two Test matches on August 21. The team currently sits fifth in the World Test Championship (WTC) table for the 2023-25 cycle. Masood's comments suggest that the team is confident in its ability to communicate effectively with its new head coach, Jason Gillespie, and achieve success in the upcoming series.

Pakistan's disappointing performance at the T20 World Cup 2024 has raised concerns about the team's unity and integrity. However, Test captain Shan Masood has dismissed allegations of match-fixing, emphasizing the players' commitment to winning matches for Pakistan.Masood acknowledged the team's struggles at the World Cup but stressed the need to move forward. He expressed confidence in the players' integrity, stating that he cannot question their intentions.The Test captain also hailed Arshad Nadeem's historic Olympic gold medal, calling him a "national hero." Masood suggested that Nadeem's achievement serves as an inspiration for the team to strive for greater glory.Despite their World Cup setback, Pakistan remains in contention for a spot in the World Test Championship final. With two wins from five Tests, they have a point percentage of 36.66%. If they win all their remaining matches, they will end up with a point percentage of 77.38% and secure a place in the final.Pakistan's upcoming schedule includes home series against Bangladesh, England, and West Indies, as well as a tour of South Africa. These matches provide an opportunity for the team to improve their ranking and qualify for the WTC final.Masood's comments and the team's upcoming fixtures highlight the importance of unity and determination as Pakistan aims to regain its status as a top cricketing nation.

Yorkshire Vikings emerged victorious in a thrilling Metro Bank One-Day Cup clash against Sussex Sharks at York, securing a 49-run victory. The Vikings' triumph was fueled by a collective effort, with captain Shan Masood and spin-bowling all-rounder Dom Bess playing pivotal roles.Masood anchored Yorkshire's innings with a composed 63 off 79 deliveries, providing a solid foundation for the team's total of 261 all out. Sussex's Henry Crocombe impressed with the ball, claiming four wickets for 47 runs.In response, Sussex's stand-in captain Tom Clark top-scored with 55 off 66 balls, but his efforts were not enough to prevent a third consecutive defeat. Bess proved to be a thorn in Sussex's side, claiming two wickets with his off-spinners as the Sharks were bowled out for 212 in 44 overs.Yorkshire's innings began with a shaky start, losing Will Luxton early on. However, Masood and Fin Bean steadied the ship with a 51-run partnership. Masood later shared a 60-run stand with James Wharton, who contributed 38.Despite these partnerships, Yorkshire's progress was hindered by untimely dismissals. Bean was caught behind for 37, while Masood was run out for 63. Harry Duke and Bess provided some late impetus with a 61-run partnership for the seventh wicket, but Crocombe's late wickets restricted Yorkshire's total.Sussex's chase started promisingly, with Clark and Charlie Tear putting on a 95-run stand for the third wicket. However, Bess's introduction turned the tide in Yorkshire's favor. He dismissed Tear and Clark in quick succession, leaving Sussex reeling at 123 for four.Yorkshire's bowlers maintained the pressure, with Coad and Moriarty claiming wickets to further dent Sussex's hopes. Oli Carter's 43 provided some resistance, but his dismissal left Sussex with too much to do. Yorkshire eventually sealed the victory with three wickets in the final over, including a run out.