Masood backs Babar to carry PSL form into Tests

Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood said on Wednesday that he expects Babar Azam to carry his recent Pakistan Super League form into the longer format as Pakistan prepare to face Bangladesh in the opening Test of the two-match series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on April 8.

Babar, who has not scored a Test century since 2022, enjoyed an impressive PSL campaign, amassing 588 runs in 11 matches at an average of 73.02 and a strike-rate of 145.90 to help Peshawar Zalmi clinch the title.

"I believe he is one of the best batsmen Pakistan has ever produced. Having him scoring runs is always beneficial, as runs provide a batsman with essential confidence. It is a very good time for us because he is entering this series with a significant number of runs from the PSL. We are looking forward to Babar replicating those performances in these Test matches," Masood said.

Masood felt Babar's experience would help him transition seamlessly from T20 cricket back into the Test arena. "Look, I think again, what matters is the present and in the present moment he is coming back with quite a lot of runs in his account," he said.

"And he's one of the best players in the world, and he has that adjustment that he can come from T20s into Test matches and sort of bring the same form with him," he added.

Masood also acknowledged the challenge posed by Bangladesh's pace attack, insisting that Pakistan are prepared for the conditions and opposition.

"Their pace attack is very good and it is probably the best I have seen from them. We won't get into comparisons between our units, as both have quality," said Masood.

"If you look at the team, it is actually a very settled unit. The middle order is our 'engine room'. Changes in the top order have mostly been due to injuries or lack of availability. For example, we only rested Abdullah Shafique once to give him a break," he said.

"Players like Imam-ul-Haq have been part of this settled unit for several years. They bring experience and a track record of scoring runs in various conditions, which gives us the best opportunity to perform."

Masood added that Pakistan had prepared for a range of conditions while putting together their squad for the series.

"The pitch currently has grass on it, and that will likely be its condition tomorrow. We have played in various conditions over the last two years, including Australia and South Africa. Even when Bangladesh came to Pakistan, we prepared similar wickets. We built our 16-man squad to be balanced, with options for both seam and spin conditions," he said.

Masood also dismissed suggestions that Pakistan would enter the series seeking revenge after Bangladesh's historic away win over them in 2024.

"We do not associate our side with words like 'revenge'. We must give credit to the Bangladesh team for how they prepared and played in 2024. Even when we were on top, such as when they were 26 for 6, they showed the skill and ability to fight back and win the Test match," he said.

"We will not take any opposition lightly. For us, the focus is on our own process and the brand of cricket we play. Our desire is to be the side that finishes games off once we get into winning positions," he concluded.