Pakistan's ICC Test ranking does not reflect team's potential, says Shan Masood

KARACHI: Pakistan’s opening batsman Shan Masood has said that the country's current 7th position in the ICC Test ranking does not reflect the team’s actual potential.

Talking to a group of journalists via an online media conference, the 31- year-old batsman said that not a long time ago, the same team ranked number one in red-ball cricket and it is currently in the process of rebuilding itself.

“You are always in a cycle and that cycle goes on. We are in the same cycle," he said. "A few months back, we were the number one team in Tests, today we are on the 7th position and I believe that this ranking is not reflective of the team’s potential."

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“We are a young team, under a new captain and new players are gelling themselves in. I hope that with the New Zealand tour, we will start our journey to climb the ICC Test ranking charts,” he said.

The opening batsman said that Pakistan did well in England and posed a good challenge to the hosts but one bad session at Manchester Test changed the series' result for Pakistan.

He added that playing under foreign conditions is never an easy task for a team.

“Playing in countries like England, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand is never easy. It is always challenging for visiting sides but I am confident of doing well here,” he said.

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“We have enough time here before the start of Test series against New Zealand, we will also play a four-day game against New Zealand with Pakistan Shaheens. So, it will give us a good opportunity to prepare ourselves for the red-ball cricket here,” he said.

Pakistan plays the first Test against New Zealand from January 26.

The team spent a strict quarantine period of 14 days before getting back to cricket and normal life but Shan feels that the isolation should not affect the team’s readiness for the series.

“Fourteen days don’t change what you’ve gained throughout the year. It stays with you. The rustiness is usual after such a gap but we have ample time to overcome that,” Shan said.

“I must admit that the 14 days were never easy and we accepted it as a challenge but the good thing is that we don’t have any more restrictions, there is no bubble, and we are free to live our normal lives in New Zealand,” he maintained.