Cricket

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reaffirmed its trust in Shan Masood as the Test captain for the upcoming international season. The decision was made during a meeting attended by senior board officials, national selectors, and coaches Jason Gillespie, Gary Kirsten, and Azhar Mahmood.Masood, who took over the Test captaincy ahead of the tour to Australia earlier this year, has received a complete vote of confidence. He will lead Pakistan in Test series against Bangladesh, England, South Africa, and the West Indies between August and January.However, the decision on Babar Azam's white-ball captaincy has been put on hold. Babar's performance as captain and batsman came under scrutiny during the recent T20 World Cup, where Pakistan suffered a disappointing exit.Sources indicate that Babar faced criticism for his lack of leadership skills and strength under pressure. The PCB is considering options and will make a decision on his white-ball captaincy in the future.Meanwhile, former Pakistan pacer Sarfraz Nawaz has called for the sacking of the entire selection committee, citing their collective incompetence in the T20 World Cup and the build-up to it. Nawaz specifically criticized the appointment of Wahab Riaz, who held various roles within the selection committee and management.The PCB is expected to announce a comprehensive blueprint for the national team in both red and white-ball formats in the coming days. The focus will be on improving performance and rebuilding the team's confidence after a disappointing T20 World Cup campaign.

Shan Masood's Bizarre Not-Out: A Tale of Misapprehension and No-BallsPakistan international batter Shan Masood found himself at the heart of a peculiar incident during a Vitality T20 Blast match between Yorkshire and Lancashire. Masood, batting on 58, became involved in a bizarre sequence of events that resulted in him remaining not-out despite being both hit-wicket and run-out.The incident unfolded in the 15th over when Masood attempted to play a backfoot shot off Lancashire's Jack Blatherwick. However, he inadvertently hit the stumps with his foot and wandered out of his crease, assuming he was out. The Lancashire players, unaware of the no-ball, dislodged the bails at the other end, attempting to run Masood out.Masood, unaware of the no-ball, made no attempt to reach the other end, believing he was already out. However, the situation took a dramatic turn when it was discovered that Blatherwick had overstepped, resulting in a no-ball.In such cases, rule 31.7 of the MCC Laws of Cricket comes into play. This rule states that if a batter leaves the wicket under a misapprehension of being out, the umpire shall intervene and call "Dead ball." The batter is then recalled to the crease.After extensive discussions, the umpires deemed Masood not-out for the run-out dismissal under Law 31.7. While Masood could not be given out hit-wicket due to the no-ball, he was also not out for the run-out because he had left the crease under the misapprehension of being out.Masood added three more runs to his total before being dismissed, finishing on 61. The incident highlights the importance of umpires being vigilant and ensuring that the correct decisions are made, even in unusual circumstances.

Babar Azam's hopes of regaining the Test captaincy have suffered a significant setback following Pakistan's disappointing performance at the T20 World Cup. Sources within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have indicated that Shan Masood will retain the Test captaincy for the upcoming two-match series against Bangladesh in August.The decision to retain Masood as Test captain is reportedly based on the PCB's dissatisfaction with Babar's leadership abilities, particularly in the wake of Pakistan's early exit from the T20 World Cup. The tournament saw Pakistan suffer consecutive defeats to the USA and India, effectively ending their chances of reaching the Super 8 stage.Masood was initially appointed as Test captain after Babar relinquished the captaincy in all formats following Pakistan's disappointing performance at last year's ODI World Cup. Shaheen Afridi was subsequently named as the T20I captain, but his brief tenure ended in April this year after Pakistan's 4-1 series defeat to New Zealand.Prior to the T20 World Cup, Babar was reinstated as the white-ball captain in a move described by the PCB as a "strategic decision." However, the move failed to yield the desired results, with Pakistan crashing out of the tournament in the group stage.The PCB's decision to retain Masood as Test captain is a clear indication of their lack of confidence in Babar's leadership abilities. The upcoming Bangladesh series will be the first assignment for former Australian pacer Jason Gillespie as Pakistan's red-ball head coach.

Yorkshire's captain, Shan Masood, led his team to a commanding position in their Vitality County Championship match against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road. Despite a rain-shortened third day, Masood's unbeaten 82 propelled Yorkshire to a 217-run lead.Resuming on 362, Yorkshire lost early wickets, but Masood remained resolute. He punished Siddarth Kaul's wayward deliveries, hitting three sixes and eight boundaries. Masood's aggressive approach helped Yorkshire extend their advantage, reaching 156 for five when play was abandoned due to rain.Earlier, Ben Sanderson claimed two wickets, including that of first-innings centurion Adam Lyth. However, Masood's counterattacking innings put Yorkshire in control. He reached his half-century off 72 deliveries and was fortunate to survive a dropped catch on 50.Masood's partnership with James Wharton (20) yielded 67 runs before Wharton was dismissed lbw. George Hill also fell cheaply, but Yorkshire remained in a strong position.Northamptonshire's bowlers struggled to contain Masood, who targeted the spin of Rob Keogh and punished Kaul's width. With just 38.2 overs possible due to rain, Yorkshire will look to press their advantage on the final day and secure a victory.

Gloucestershire's bowlers made an impressive start to their Vitality County Championship Second Division clash with Yorkshire at the Seat Unique Stadium in Bristol, reducing the visitors to 90 for five in the first session. However, Yorkshire skipper Shan Masood rescued his team with a magnificent 140, his 26th first-class century, to guide them to a respectable total of 326 all out.Masood's innings was a masterclass in resilience and composure. He weathered the early storm and gradually built his innings, reaching his century off 140 balls with 15 boundaries. His partnership with Jonny Tattersall (56) for the sixth wicket was crucial in Yorkshire's recovery, adding 100 runs to the total.Matt Milnes also contributed a valuable 51, while Zaman Akhter claimed a career-best five for 85 for Gloucestershire. By the close of play, Gloucestershire had slipped to 28 for two in reply, with Chris Dent and Ollie Price dismissed cheaply.Masood's century was a timely reminder of his class and experience. The Pakistan Test captain has been in excellent form for Yorkshire this season, and his innings on the opening day of this match was a testament to his ability to lead from the front.Yorkshire will be hoping that Masood can continue his good form in the second innings and help them to build a substantial lead. Gloucestershire, on the other hand, will need to find a way to dismiss Masood early and put pressure on the Yorkshire batting lineup.