Pakistan captain Shan Masood has opened up about their fielding performance ahead of the third test against Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground and defended Abdullah Shafique as a good fielder for the team in the slip corridor.
Pakistan named the playing XI on the eve of the New Year’s Test and made two significant changes, leaving out opener Imam-ul-Haq and bowler Shaheen, while Australia went into the series with an unchanged XI for the second time. Pakistan has already lost the series against the mighty Aussies 2-0 after losses in Perth and Melbourne.
Despite the mistakes in fielding, Pakistan’s captain Shan Masood justified his choice to keep Shafique in that position and praised Babar Azam as one of the best slip fielders, who could take the first slip position. Abdullah Shafique struggled in the first two Tests, missing three catches while batting at first slip.
“In a game, your hands are tied because slips are very specialized. A lot of fielding places in Test cricket are very specialized. We had four genuine quick bowlers, so it was hard to get them into the slips. And then Abdullah Shafique has been a good slips man for us and those are the guys that practice for hours every day,” Shan Masood said.
“He’s a brilliant slips fielder. He’s got age on his side. But I think if he doesn’t feel comfortable, Babar is a decent first slipper,” Shan Masood added.
During the Boxing Day Test, Pakistan were in a better position by the evening of the fourth day than it had been during the Test. The fact that they fell short by only 79 runs in a game in which they made so many unforced errors will make this a difficult defeat to swallow. This was Pakistan’s best chance of winning a Test match in Australia since 2010.
I Am Looking Forward To Babar Azam Scoring Big In The Sydney Test – Shan Masood
Shan Masood expressed confidence in Babar Azam as the team’s key player, saying he expects Babar to contribute significantly with the bat in the upcoming Sydney Test, and explained why Shaheen Afridi was rested in the final test.
“Babar Azam is our main player. We have no concerns over his performance. His approach is positive. He is practicing for hours in the nets and has great fitness. I am looking forward to him scoring big in the Sydney Test,” Shan Masood added.
“Shaheen Afridi has bowled most overs in world cricket in recent times. He gives his 150% in the training sessions as well. He keeps motivating his teammates. He is our main player. We’ll make sure we look after Shaheen Afridi really well,” Shan Masood concluded.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) faced harsh criticism for failing to manage the workload of players after Khurrum Shahzad suffered a catastrophic rib cage injury during the 1st test and the Left-arm pacer would return to lead the team in the T20 game against New Zealand.