Pakistan cricket is embarking on a new journey starting with their Australia Tour, that starts with Test on December 14. After a disappointing Cricket World Cup campaign, Pakistan cricket saw many changes. Babar Azam resigned as the Pakistan cricket team captain. Shan Masood was appointed the Pakistan Test team’s skipper and Shaheen Afridi was given charge of the T20I team. Several officials in the Pakistan cricket team selection committee were also changed. How the experiment will bear fruit will be a matter of intrigue.
Pakistan’s new Test captain Shan Masood was recently asked on whether he might be made the proverbial ‘sacrificial lamb’
“Aapko Qurbani ka bakra banaya jayega (You will be made the sacrificial lamb)?” a reporter asked Shan Masood.
“Firstly, we see it as an opportunity. When you haven’t done something before in your history, then you have an opportunity to go out there and try to change it. So that’s what we’re trying to do, to get a positive result for Pakistan and in this World Test Championship,” Shan Masood said at a press conference.
“And as far as being qurbaani ka bakra (sacrificial lamb) is concerned, the captaincy, playing as a player in the side, these are all temporary things at the end of the day. As long as you are in that place, or seat, you should relish the opportunity, enjoy it and try and take responsibility, and give your best ability to the team.”
Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood’s contract was on Thursday upgraded to ‘B’ category from earlier ‘D’ by the country’s cricket board, hours after the team led by him left for Australia for a Test series.
The 34-year-old Masood was named Test captain on November 15 until the conclusion of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle, after Babar Azam stepped down, following Pakistan’s 50-over World Cup debacle in India.
“The PCB has decided to upgrade Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood’s category in the central contract list from D to B,” the PCB said in a statement.
“The decision has been made in line with board’s policy that if a centrally contracted player below A or B categories is appointed captain, their contract shall be upgraded to category B for the tenure of their captaincy.”
The left-handed batter has featured in 30 Tests, amassing 1,597 runs.
The team left for Australia on Wednesday night.
The three-match Test series against Australia begins on December 14 in Perth. The team will play a tour match against Australian PM XI from December 6-9 in Canberra.
With PTI inputs
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