Shan Masood opens up on Pakistan's loss, acknowledges Australia's ruthless edge

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Australia secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series against Pakistan with a commanding victory in the second Test on Friday.

Australia dismissed the visitors for 237 runs in their second innings, due to which Pakistan fell short of the target of 317 runs set by the hosts.

Australia skipper Pat Cummins spearheaded Australia's victory, claiming staggering five wickets in Pakistan's second innings, adding to his tally of 10 for the match. Cummins performance earned him the Player of the Match award.

Not to be outdone, Mitchell Starc's impactful four-wicket haul in the second innings contributed significantly to Australia's dominant display.

Pakistan captain Shan Masood emerged as the standout performer for Pakistan, scoring 60 runs off 71 balls, embellished by seven well-timed boundaries.

Speaking in the post-match ceremony, Masood reflected on the match, acknowledging Australia's ruthless approach and their ability to capitalize on any openings provided by the opposition. He emphasized the importance of converting starts into substantial scores, recognizing the criticality of seizing opportunities in the intensely competitive arena of Test cricket.

"Australia is known for their ruthlessness. The key is converting fifties into hundreds. Any openings we give them, as we did in this match, they will exploit and make us pay for it," Shan said.

Masood acknowledged the difficulty of facing a quality side like Australia. He emphasized the significance of missed opportunities but also expressed contentment with Pakistan's overall performance, and recognized the impact of dropping the in-form Marsh as a pivotal moment in the match. 

"Like I said, we have to look at the bigger picture. That's why the smile. There were plenty of positives but if you give a quality side like Australia a sniff which we gave, we didn’t stand a chance. Maybe with the ball, maybe with the bat, maybe in the field. Dropping the in-form Marsh was a big moment but really happy with the performance," he further added.

Commending Cummins for his exceptional bowling and acknowledging crucial partnerships forged by Smith and Marsh in the second innings, Masood iterated that this match would serve as a blueprint for Pakistan's approach to Test cricket, promising to learn from the mistakes made.

"The outcome is a reflection of four days of play. Winning the toss and bowling in favourable conditions worked in our favour initially. Cummins displayed exceptional bowling, showcasing why he is the number one bowler. In the 2nd innings, Smith and Marsh built a crucial partnership. Nevertheless, this match serves as a blueprint for how we aim to approach Test cricket, and we will learn from the mistakes made," he concluded.

The match saw Pakistan initially excel with their bowling attack, restricting Australia to 262 runs before lunch on the final day. However, the tourists faced an uphill battle as they chased the target set by the home team.