Shan Masood's Test captaincy under threat after Multan upset: Report
Pakistan's Test team captain Shan Masood is reportedly on the chopping block after a crushing defeat against England in the first Test match in Multan. The loss was one of England's most dominant performances in recent years as they won by an innings and 47 runs. The result has put immense pressure on Masood's leadership role which he took on only last December.
Pakistan's historic loss despite scoring over 500
In a historic turn of events, Pakistan became the first team in Test history to lose by an innings after scoring more than 500 runs in their first innings. The team, who posted 556/10 in their first outing, resumed their second innings on Day 5 at 152/6, but were bundled out for mere 220 runs. This shocking collapse has only added to the scrutiny on Masood's captaincy.
Potential successors for Masood's captaincy
According to Samaa TV, three players have been shortlisted as Masood's potential successors: Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, and Salman Ali Agha. This comes after a string of disappointing performances from the team under Masood's leadership. Since his appointment as captain, Pakistan has lost all six Test matches they have played. This includes three defeats at home.
Pakistan's recent Test cricket struggles
Pakistan's woes in Test cricket have been visible, with a string of defeats that have dented faith in the team. Last month, they were clean-swept 0-2 at home by Bangladesh - their first-ever loss to the side in the longest format. In their first Test against England, despite scoring a mammoth 556-run in the first innings, they gave away a mammoth 823/7.
Records shattered in England's victory over Pakistan
The first Test match against England witnessed a plethora of records being broken. England became the first team to ever take a first innings lead of over 200 runs after conceding a 550-plus total in the initial innings. Their score of 823/7d in the first innings is now the fourth-highest Test innings total ever recorded, and the highest in this century.
