Pakistan Captain Shan Masood Supports Babar Azam Ahead of England Test Series
Pakistan’s cricket captain Shan Masood has expressed confidence in star batter Babar Azam ahead of the home Test series against England. Despite recent struggles, Masood believes Babar remains the team’s top batter.
Upcoming Series
The series, starting October 7 with the first Test in Multan, is crucial for Pakistan not only for the ICC World Test Championship but also for Babar’s form. In his last eight Tests, Babar has scored 317 runs at an average of 21.13, with his highest score being 41.
Masood’s Confidence
Speaking at a press conference, Masood said, “Babar is among the world’s best batters. You have to give your players time, not just Babar. Babar does not look out of form, he is getting starts. There was a 10-month gap between the Australia and Bangladesh Tests, which does not help us.”
He added, “He played some long innings in the Champions [One-Day] Cup where he absorbed pressure and changed gears. That might help him in tests now. He is the team’s number one batter for sure.”
Recent Performances
In the Champions Cup, a 50-over tournament in Pakistan, Babar scored 230 runs at an average of 76.66 and a strike rate of almost 99, with a century and a fifty. Playing for Stallions, he was the fourth-highest run-getter.
Team Unity
Masood also dismissed any “lack of unity” within the team. He said, “Every captain has their own style. I focus on keeping the environment in the dressing room well; that is my primary concern. I have never seen a lack of unity or effort by the boys. There are some cricketing aspects to how we need to improve, but I have no complaints regarding unity.”
Current Standings
Pakistan is currently eighth in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 standings after their series loss to Bangladesh at home. The team is under pressure heading into the first Test against England, with their last home Test win dating back to February 2021. Pakistan has not won a home Test match in their last 10 attempts, including a 3-0 series loss to England in 2022.
Pakistan Squad for 1st Test
| Player |
|---|
| Shan Masood (c) |
| Saud Shakeel (vc) |
| Aamir Jamal |
| Abdullah Shafique |
| Abrar Ahmed |
| Babar Azam |
| Mir Hamza |
| Mohammad Huraira |
| Mohammad Rizwan |
| Naseem Shah |
| Noman Ali |
| Saim Ayub |
| Salman Ali Agha |
| Sarfaraz Ahmed |
| Shaheen Shah Afridi |
Doubts Revealed
Shan Masood -: Shan Masood is a cricketer from Pakistan who is currently the captain of the Pakistan cricket team.
Babar Azam -: Babar Azam is a famous cricketer from Pakistan known for being one of the best batters in the world.
Test series -: A Test series is a set of cricket matches played between two teams over several days. Each match can last up to five days.
England -: England is a country in Europe. In this context, it refers to the England cricket team, which is coming to Pakistan to play cricket matches.
Multan -: Multan is a city in Pakistan where one of the cricket matches in the series will be played.
ICC World Test Championship -: The ICC World Test Championship is a competition where cricket teams from different countries play Test matches to become the best team in the world.
dressing room environment -: The dressing room environment refers to the atmosphere and mood among the players in the team’s changing room. A positive environment means the players are happy and supportive of each other.
