Saturday, February 8, 2025

Pak vs WI – Shan Masood defends Pakistan’s spin-it-to-win-it technique

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Pakistan captain Shan Masood put up a strident defence of Pakistan’s resolution to provide a pitch that was closely spin-friendly. After Pakistan wrapped up a 127-run win within the shortest-ever Check to provide a end result on Pakistani soil, a lot of Masood’s press convention was dominated by speaking about why the soil in query was fairly as dry and brittle because it was.

“We’ll do what we have to take 20 wickets and win the match,” Masood stated. “We do not even play home cricket in these situations. It is a new factor for us as effectively. We modified it through the England sequence as a result of we wished our staff to win. We should always recognize the onerous work of our bowlers, who received us 20 wickets persistently.”

On these counts, the choice has been an unmitigated success. Ever since shedding the primary Check to England in October on a flat deck, Pakistan volte-faced on the sort of surfaces they wished to arrange. Specific consideration has been centered on the measures they’ve taken to make sure spin stays probably the most potent – arguably solely – menace.

The second Check in opposition to England was performed on the identical used floor of the primary Check, with massive followers to dry it out. The third Check in Rawalpindi, which naturally doesn’t take spin till late in video games, was dried out by wedding-style heaters and followers enclosed by windbreakers; England even accused it of being raked, although concrete proof of that has not emerged. Forward of this Check in Multan in the midst of winter, Pakistan went one step additional, encircling the floor in a greenhouse because it was warmed up by these large heaters and followers.

Each floor has produced the impact – and end result, Pakistan have been after. Their spinners – Sajid Khan and Noman Ali particularly – have had little bother taking 20 wickets; not one of the 60 opposition scalps have fallen to seam bowlers since. And every of these three video games have produced convincing Pakistan wins.

Masood identified the wins weren’t an inevitability, however a consequence of Pakistan taking part in the higher cricket throughout all departments in every sport. “For those who’re wanting individually on the batters, it would not make for good studying. However our batters batted higher than West Indies, and higher than England’s batters in October. For those who simply take a look at tons of and fifties and decide them by uncooked numbers, then it’s going to be deceptive. Identical to we’ll must be versatile with our taking part in model, viewers will even have to be versatile of their considering. Have a look at India’s blueprint and their averages at residence and you will get the purpose. If situations are flat, getting 20 wickets is difficult. We have sacrificed particular person milestones for staff outcomes.”

Masood’s feedback point out that Pakistan don’t have any plans but to alter what has been a profitable technique for them. Whereas this World Check Championship (WTC) cycle has confirmed an sad one – they may end second from backside within the standings – they’ve, on paper, a a lot softer draw within the subsequent two-year cycle. It sees them play three two-Check sequence at residence in opposition to South Africa, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, and three sequence away from residence in opposition to West Indies, England and Bangladesh. Masood made it clear that they had eyes on a last berth in 2027, and that, ought to it occur, the route lay by way of “profitable all our video games at residence”.

“For those who’re wanting individually on the batters, it would not make for good studying. However our batters batted higher than West Indies, and higher than England’s batters in October… Identical to we’ll must be versatile with our taking part in model, viewers will even have to be versatile of their considering.”

Shan Masood

He additionally dismissed any considerations over dissatisfaction of his fellow batters concerning these taking part in situations, and allayed fears over the redundancy of Pakistan’s Check quick bowling. “We will not pit our bowlers and batters in opposition to one another,” he stated. “The toughest factor to do right here was batting and quick bowling. West Indies did not rating 141 in both of their innings, and but we had one partnership [Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan] do it. The error is we must always possibly have tried to string a number of partnerships round that large one. Performances aren’t nearly scoring centuries; in some situations, 10-20 further runs could make all of the distinction.

“If somebody has to sacrifice there, like quick bowlers or batters, then so be it. There will probably be oppositions the place we really feel we will put together seam-friendly pitches. Then quick bowlers will get the chance to get wickets just like the spinners received right here. We have to work on how we will progress as a staff. A WTC is a two-year cycle, so quick bowlers will come into it. We’ve away sequence in England and the West Indies with the Dukes ball. When a subcontinent staff comes right here, we could put together seam-friendly wickets. Over the larger image, nobody’s function is being diminished.”

Pakistan don’t play one other Check for 9 months, and have simply two scheduled over the following 14 months. For Masood, this was the most important concern, and a scenario he deemed unacceptable.

“I’ve complained about this concern and raised it a number of instances; a nation like Pakistan can not simply play 4-5 Exams a yr. That is one thing we as a nation have to push for. A ten-month hole, after which should you come and play in these situations, it may be utterly completely different. Our first-class season will even possible solely simply have begun at the moment. These ten months are vital, and I hope we get worldwide and home cricket, and the Check gamers we now have, hopefully we will take care of them within the subsequent ten months so that they’re prepared for the sequence in opposition to South Africa in October.”

Ten months is a very long time in cricket and, as Masood is aware of solely too effectively, particularly in Pakistan cricket. However in a nation the place captains can stay or die by the outcomes their staff produces, it’s little shock Masood makes no apology for a method which, for now, has been giving his staff these wins, whatever the optics that accompany them.

Danyal Rasool is ESPNcricinfo’s Pakistan correspondent. @Danny61000


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