Masood rejects revenge talk ahead of Bangladesh Tests

Shan Masood on Thursday dismissed talk of "revenge" ahead of Pakistan’s upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh, insisting his side are focused solely on the task at hand ahead of the opening Test in Mirpur on Friday.

Bangladesh had scripted history in the previous red-ball meeting between the two sides, sweeping Pakistan 2-0 in Rawalpindi in 2024 to secure their maiden Test series win over the hosts.

“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,” Masood told reporters in Mirpur on the eve of the opening Test.

“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 said.

Masood also acknowledged the strength of the current Bangladesh side and anticipated another fiercely competitive series.

“I have been involved in two previous series against Bangladesh. The current side is quite similar to the one we played two years ago in Rawalpindi -- very competitive, skillful, and well-covered in all departments, including batting, pace, and spin. We enjoy challenges and playing against good teams in difficult conditions. This is an opportunity for us to match our skills and hopefully come out on top,” he added.

The Pakistan captain expressed satisfaction with the squad at his disposal and backed his players to deliver over the course of the series.

Although Pakistan have included four uncapped players -- Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais and Muhammad Ghazi Ghori -- the visitors still boast an experienced core featuring Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

“Every team has its own strengths. We focus on our own skills and judge things from our own perspective. We have brought a well-rounded 16-man squad that can play in most conditions. We are very happy with the squad we have, and now it is about playing ten days of good cricket. Hopefully, whoever plays the best will win the series,” he said.

“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. 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,” he added.

Masood also underlined the importance of Pakistan’s bowling attack, stressing that taking 20 wickets would be key to winning the series.

“The message is clear: in Test cricket, you cannot win unless you take 20 wickets. The role of the bowlers is vital, and we have full confidence in them. They are leaders who have performed for this team before. Success requires a complete team effort -- good batting to put up runs, good bowling to take wickets, and sharp fielding to create chances. Our responsibility over the next ten days is to play complete cricket, take those 20 wickets, and win the series,” he concluded.