Shan Masood will remain captain of the national Test team for the forthcoming 2025–2027 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, according to confirmation from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Despite Pakistan ranking last in the points table during the just finished 2023–25 cycle, the board has demonstrated faith in Masood.
Following a challenging WTC season in which Pakistan earned just three victories and nine losses in 12 games, Shan Masood captaincy had come under fire.
When he was downgraded from Category B to Category D, the lowest tier, in the PCB’s most recent central contract list, concerns about his future grew. But after meeting with red-ball coach Azhar Mahmood and PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, the board gave Shan Masood and Mahmood complete control over the Test team.
Interestingly, the coach and captain are not on the selection committee in spite of this guarantee. A five-person panel made up of Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Aaqib Javed, and Aleem Dar is in charge of choosing the squad.
South Africa will play Pakistan.
In late 2023, Shan Masood took Babar Azam’s place as Test captain. Pakistan has had trouble in red-ball cricket ever since. The team’s performance has been dismal, notwithstanding Masood’s batting bursts of brilliance, including home and away hundreds against South Africa and England. As captain, his own batting average has marginally increased, but Pakistan’s incapacity to finish games has been a serious worry.
Leadership has not been the only area of challenge. With Jason Gillespie’s brief tenure as head coach, there has also been upheaval in the coaching staff at the national level. The PCB is now seeking stability as it enters a new cycle, with Masood keeping the leadership and Azhar Mahmood confirmed in the position. In the meantime, Pakistan will host the reigning champions South Africa in October to begin their 2025–27 WTC campaign.
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