The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and coach Jason Gillespie have reposed faith on Shan Masood to continue as national team’s Test captain ahead of a packed international season, but a decision on the leadership role of Babar Azam in white ball formats has been put on hold. Pakistan is scheduled to host England in a three-match Test series in October this year, while rubbers against Bangladesh, South Africa and the West Indies are also on the calendar.

The PCB held a meeting here on Wednesday, which was attended by senior board officials, national selectors, Gillespie, white ball formats coach Gary Kirsten and assistant coach Azhar Mahmood, to discuss Pakistan’s meek outing in the recent T20 World Cup in the Americas.

“The meeting was held to discuss ways to move forward with a comprehensive blueprint for the national team in red and white ball formats,” indicated a source aware of the developments.

Masood, who took over as Test captain ahead of the tour to Australia earlier this year, received a complete vote of confidence.

“Shan got the support at the meeting to continue as Test captain for the upcoming series against Bangladesh, England, South Africa and the West Indies between August and January,” he said.

However, no decision was taken on Babar’s white ball captaincy although his performance as captain and batsman came under a lot of discussion.

Babar, according to the source, came under criticism for his lack of strength and leadership skills when the chips were down, especially during the T20 WC.

Meanwhile, former Pakistan pacer Sarfraz Nawaz asked to sack the entire selection committee as they had shown collective incompetence in the ICC showpiece and in the build up to it.

“The selection committee has worked collectively and should be sacked collectively for their failure and incompetence,” said Nawaz.

Nawaz said he had told PCB officials several times not to give any administrative role to sacked selector Wahab Riaz.

“I am on record to have written letters to Zaka (Ashraf) and (Mohsin) Naqvi regarding Wahab’s suspected past and his lack of abilities as an administrator. Nobody paid heed to my suggestion.

“I knew well that Wahab was not capable of delivering in any capacity yet he was made selector, advisor and manager. On all fronts he failed,” he said.

Pakistan Test coach Jason Gillespie highlighted the importance of fitness in the team ahead of their two-match red-ball series against Bangladesh in August. In the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2024, Pakistan crashed out of the group stage and received massive backlash from former Pakistan cricketers and some sections of fans. Fielding and inconsistency were the two aspects of the Pakistan team that were heavily criticised. Apart from that, the fitness level of the players also turned out to be another point of backlash for the players.

Some sections of fans, along with former Pakistan cricketers including Wasim Akram, Kamran Akmal and many more stars, have been critical of the players’ fitness.

Gillespie is looking to improve the fitness level within the team and said, as quoted from Geo News, “In international cricket, you have to remain fit, there are no questions on that. In international cricket, everyone should know about the importance of fitness. It is the main component of a sportsman.”

After Babar Azam was reinstated as the white ball captain in place of Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood is expected to lead the side in the two-match Test series.

Gillespie disclosed that he has had conversations with the Test skipper and will hold talks with the players about the brand of cricket that they want to play.

“I have talked to Shan Masood [Pakistan’s red-ball capain] one or two times, I’m hoping we will play positive cricket. I will [also] discuss with the players about what brand of cricket they want to play, the team will be selected while taking the opposition and conditions in mind,” he said.

“If a player is good for the team, he will definitely be selected. I’m in contact with Gary Kirsten [Pakistan’s white-ball coach] for players’ workload management,” he added.

The former Australian pacer asserted that his focus is on red-ball cricket and he has had conversations with previous coaches as he aims to improve the team.

“My focus is red-ball cricket. I will also travel to Australia and watch their players. I have talked with Jeff Lawson and Shaun Tait [Pakistan’s former bowling coach] on the Pakistan cricket team,” Gillespie said.

Pakistan’s Test series against Bangladesh will begin on August 21 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The second Test will be played on August 30 at National Stadium Karachi.

The Pakistan Cricket Board might not be able bring about major changes in the national team in the wake of the side’s dismal performance in the T20 World Cup 2024 as that could lead to a confrontation with senior players, according to sources. PCB’s governing board, scheduled to meet here on Saturday, will take cognizance of white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten and senior team manager Wahab Riaz’s reports submitted to chairman Mohsin Naqvi. But a source said, only cosmetic changes will take place and the “same set of players” would likely continue to play.

Naqvi had been quoted as saying following Pakistan’s defeat to India in the World Cup that a “major surgery” was required in the team.

“The reports by Kirsten and Riaz will help the Governing Board and chairman Naqvi decide the next course of action but all indications are there Naqvi doesn’t want a confrontation with senior players and he has also been advised against massive changes in the team,” a source told PTI.

“There are so many outside voices and pressures from within the system that all this talk about big changes is unlikely to happen. So, basically, with a few changes, the same set of players will be in the Pakistan team for coming games as well in all formats,” he added.

On whether Babar Azam would be retained as white-ball captain following the dismal T20 World Cup showing, another source said that while there is a group, including some former Test captains, which wants to see Shaheen Afridi replace Babar, if there are changes, the prime candidates for captaincy would be Shan Masood and Muhammad Rizwan.

“You could see cosmetic changes, like changes in the selection committee, and the same old story of reorganising domestic cricket to help do damage control. But the senior players remain strong,” he said.

Kirsten’s report is said to contain the same observations he made during his interaction with the players in the dressing room after the match against Ireland in the Group stage.

Kirsten had warned senior pros in the side following the team’s loss to the USA and India to adapt to new skill-sets and improve their game awareness or get left behind. Wahab, on the other hand, outlined personality clashes in the side during the World Cup.

Pakistan next play a two-Test series against Bangladesh followed by three Tests against England. It is unlikely that senior players like Babar and Rizwan would want to take a break from these assignments. 

Pakistan international batter Shan Masood, playing for Yorkshire in Vitality T20 Blast, was at the center of the strange incident that saw him remain not-out despite getting run-out on a no-ball. It all happened when Masood was batting on 58, facing Lancashire’s Jack Blatherwick in the 15th over. Masood hit the stumps while trying to hit the ball on the backfoot and wandered outside the crease thinking he was out. The Lancashire players also dislodged the bails at the other end of the pitch, inflicting a run-out.

Masood, however, didn’t even put a real effort to reach the other end of the pitch, thinking he was already out, having hit the stumps with his foot. But, the incident took a dramatic turn when it was found out that the bowler had delivered a no-ball by overstepping.

In a such a case, rule 31.7 came into the picture, and Masood was deemed not-out even though he was both hit-wicket and run-out on that delivery.

The umpires discussed the situation extensively, and in the end, decided to deem Masood not-out for the run-out dismissal under MCC Law of Cricket 31.7 Batter leaving the wicket under a misapprehension. Masood couldn’t be given out hit-wicket as it was a no-ball.

Shan Masood steps on his stumps off a no ball, Lancashire take the bails off at the other end – but Masood remained not out under law 31.7 pic.twitter.com/yQG6gP6Rac

— Vitality Blast (@VitalityBlast) June 20, 2024

Why Was Shan Masood not-out?

Unaware of the no-ball, Masood had left his crease thinking he was out hit-wicket. Hence, he couldn’t be run-out at the other end of the pitch.

According to Law 31.7, “An umpire shall intervene if satisfied that a batter, not having been given out, has left the wicket under a misapprehension of being out. The umpire intervening shall call and signal Dead ball to prevent any further action by the fielding side and shall recall the batter.”

Masood added 3 more runs to his total, going up to 61 runs before he was dismissed.

Babar Azam‘s prospects of becoming Test captain again have seemingly taken a major hit after the USA ended Pakistan’s chances of claiming a spot in the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup. Sources told Geo News that Shan Masood will retain the Test captaincy for their two-match red-ball series against Bangladesh in August. It was also reported that following the T20 World Cup fiasco, the board is disappointed in Babar’s ability to lead. The Bangladesh series will be the first stint for former Australian pacer Jason Gillespie as Pakistan’s red-ball head coach.

Masood was appointed Pakistan’s Test captain after Babar decided to leave captaincy in all formats in the aftermath of last year’s ODI World Cup. Shaheen was chosen to succeed Babar as the T20I skipper.

His brief run as the Pakistan skipper ended in April this year. Shaheen was removed from the T20I captaincy after leading the team in just one series against New Zealand. The Blackcaps outplayed Pakistan in all facets of the game and scripted a 4-1 T20I series defeat for the Shaheen-led team.

Before the T20 World Cup started, Babar was restored as the white-ball skipper. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), in a statement, described the change as a “strategic move.”

But PCB’s move didn’t pan out as they would have hoped. Gary Kirsten was brought in as the white-ball head coach ahead of the tournament to bolster their chances. However, Pakistan crashed out of the tournament in the group stage. They suffered consecutive defeats in their opening games against the USA and arch-rival India.

The two consecutive defeats sent them on the verge of elimination. They won their third game against Canada convincingly.

USA have qualified for the Super 8. Pakistan will conclude their campaign against Ireland on Sunday in Florida.

Pakistan T20 WC Squad: Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan.