When Pakistan defeated England in a Test series in December 2024, many believed Pakistan had all the skills to replicate their success against South Africa. At several points, Pakistan had opportunities to achieve this, but, as has often been the case, those moments slipped away.
In the first Test match, Pakistan reduced South Africa to 99 for 8 while the home side was chasing a modest target of 148. However, Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
“There have been a lot of positives in this series,” Masood said. “We performed well in Centurion, but we failed to close out critical situations when it mattered most. We didn’t start well with either bat or ball, and we collapsed early on what was a very good surface,” he added.
During the second Test match, Pakistan managed to dismiss South Africa’s top three batters at an average score of just 72. However, the man of the match, Ryan Rickelton, along with Temba Bavuma and Kyle Verreynne, struck counter-attacking centuries, propelling South Africa to a mammoth first-innings total of 615.
Despite being bundled out for just 194 in the first innings, Pakistan showed tremendous fight and courage in their second innings after being forced to follow on. They scored an impressive 478, with captain Shan Masood leading from the front with a brilliant 145.
Babar Azam also contributed significantly with a well-crafted 81. However, these efforts were not enough to secure a win in the second Test, but they showcased the resilience and character of the Pakistani team under pressure.
“The fightback was crucial, and those are the kinds of responses you look for,” Shan explained. “We need to learn how to seize crucial moments. We’ve shown that we can handle adversity, as evidenced in the England series where we bounced back. You trust your players to learn from tough experiences,” he said.
Although Pakistan lost the series, Shan Masood’s performance was widely praised. Under immense pressure due to the captaincy, Shan displayed his skill, stamina, and character when the team needed it the most.
The lanky batsman became the first Pakistani and the fourth Asian captain to score a century in South Africa.
“I don’t focus on personal records. The goal is always to contribute to the team and ensure we end up on the right side of the result,” he said. Shan also commended Babar Azam for stepping up after Pakistan lost Saim Ayub, highlighting the positive qualities that emerged during the series.
However, Masood expressed dissatisfaction with his dismissal in the second innings, attributing it to a “technology error.”
“It’s simple,” Masood said after the game. “It was an outswinger. If you see the ball that I was beaten by, it moved a long way. I was beaten on the outside edge, but it was shown as an inswinger. I was baffled by that, to be very honest.”
Pakistan’s next Test assignment is a two-match home series against the West Indies, starting on January 17. It will be Pakistan’s final series in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle.
Masood, whose team has been whitewashed in three out of four series so far, will aim to end the cycle on a high note. This series might also mark the final chapter for the Kuwait-born cricketer in Test cricket.
