Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood found himself in an uncomfortable position during a recent media interaction following a controversial question from a journalist.
In a video circulating on social media, a reporter bluntly asked Masood if he had considered stepping down in light of Pakistan’s ongoing struggles in the Test arena.
"You said till PCB gives chances you will avail them. Don’t you have the self-respect to call it quits since the team is losing and not able to perform?" the journalist questioned.
The top order batter, visibly taken aback, exchanged a brief look with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) media manager before choosing to ignore the question and move on. The awkward moment left a noticeable silence in the room, but the media session continued.
As the press conference wrapped up, the PCB media manager addressed the incident, reminding reporters to maintain decorum when speaking with the national captain.
“The captain of Pakistan is seated, feel free to ask your questions but please show respect and particularly I am referring Javed. It was not the appropriate way of asking Pakistan captain the question that you asked,” the media manager said.
Shan Masood has been under pressure since taking over the captaincy from Babar Azam, with Pakistan losing all five Test matches during his tenure. His first assignment as Pakistan's captain came during the three-match Test series against Australia, where the team suffered a 3-0 whitewash in the 2023-24 season. His second challenge was the home Test series against Bangladesh, which Pakistan lost 2-0.
It is worth noting that the upcoming Test series against England is part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25, with the first Test scheduled to take place in Multan from October 7-11. This series holds significant importance as both teams aim to improve their standings in the WTC rankings.
Pakistan squad for first Test against England: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), and Shaheen Shah Afridi, Zahid Mehmood.
England squad for Pakistan Test series: Ben Stokes (C), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Josh Hull, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.
Pakistan, England Test series schedule: