Shan Masood excited about six pacers in team ahead of Bangladesh Tests

| 2025-01-15 22:15:00

'All six of them (pacers) can make a claim for the playing XI and all six offer something different,' captain says

Aamer Jamal (L) is congratulated by captain Shan Masood during the Australia Test series. — AFP

Pakistan’s Test captain Shan Masood opened up on having six pacers in the red-ball team, saying that all of them offer something that can win matches ahead of the two-Test series against Bangladesh.

Masood’s side will play red-ball series against Bangladesh (two Tests at home), England (three Tests at home), South Africa (two Tests away) and then West Indies (two Tests at home).

Talking in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) podcast, Masood emphasised on managing the pacers’ workload citing Shaheen Afridi’s example during the Australia Test tour in December last year where he was benched for the third game.

“You have to manage their [pacers] workload. Like with Shaheen Afridi in Australia — he played two Test matches on the bounce, and we had to rest him for the third one because there was a heavy schedule coming up for him. We’ll keep looking at that,” Masood said.

Expressing his excitement on having six pacers, Masood said: "But the exciting part is that in our current squad, we’ve got six exciting fast bowlers. All six of them can make a claim for the playing XI, and all six offer something different.

"Wherever someone is required, and if it allows us to rest one of our premier bowlers, I think we’ll be in good stead, and it will give experience to the ones who play."

“We’re equally confident that the ones who step in — the new guys like Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Muhammad Ali, and even Aamer Jamal to an extent — when they step in, whether Shaheen or Naseem Shah or another isn’t available, they all offer something that can win Pakistan games and pick those 20 crucial wickets,” he added.