Pak vs Eng: Shan Masood stresses need to back players to move forward

With the national team set to take on England in the upcoming Test series, Pakistan's red-ball captain Shan Masood on Monday stressed the need to back the players in order to move forward.

Speaking at a press conference, Masood said: "It's easy to make changes after a loss, but if we want to move forward, we must back our players."

His statement comes as the national side is set to take on England in a three-match Test series against England commencing on October 7 at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

The second match will also be played at the second venue whereas the third match is scheduled from October 24 to 28 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

The home series is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25.

Continuing on today, the red-ball captain said that the players were deeply regretful of the recent losses and are determined to achieve better results.

"We've learned a lot about our physical and mental condition, and it's clear that improvements are needed," he added.

Elaborating on his role as the team's leader, Masood admitted that losing is always difficult and said: "As a captain, it feels terrible when the team loses. It wasn't the ideal start, but accountability comes with defeat."

He also pointed out that the team had several opportunities to gain the upper hand against Bangladesh but failed to take advantage of them.

"If Pakistan want to become a top Test side, we need to significantly improve both physical and mental fitness. Our conditioning should be on par with other top teams in the world," the left-handed batter said while emphasising the importance of mental and physical fitness, particularly for Test cricket.

He also addressed the return of Aamir Jamal from injury, noting that the current Test squad was selected based on player fitness.

"For now, we've built the squad for one Test, considering the players' fitness levels. Meanwhile, If required, Zahid Mahmood would be brought into the squad," Masood explained.

Concluding his remarks, Masood acknowledged the pressure of professional sports but affirmed that no player enjoys losing.

It is to be noted that Mahmood will join the pre-test camp in Multan as the 16th player, but the final squad will be trimmed to 15 players for the first Test.