Pakistan’s Test struggles deepen under Shan Masood’s captaincy: 11 defeats in 15 matches
Pakistan’s Test struggles deepen under Shan Masood’s captaincy: 11 defeats in 15 matches
By Nawaz Gohar ; Under the leadership of national Test captain Shan Masood, Pakistan’s performance in the longest format has reached a historic low, with the team suffering 11 defeats in just 15 matches.
Masood assumed the mantle of Test captaincy following Babar Azam’s resignation after the 2023 World Cup. However, his tenure has been marked by a staggering frequency of failures rather than successes.
Since December 2023, the national side has played six away Test matches—all of which resulted in losses—including humiliating whitewashes in Australia and South Africa.
The decline was further emphasized at home when Bangladesh secured their first-ever Test victory against Pakistan on Pakistani soil, culminating in a devastating 0-2 series whitewash. Under Masood’s captaincy, Pakistan has also suffered individual Test defeats at home against England, the West Indies, and South Africa.
Despite the captain’s vocal ambitions of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final, the team’s on-field performance remains dismal. While Masood identifies tactical errors after every defeat, a concrete strategy to rectify these recurring issues remains elusive.
The statistical decline is evident in the standings: Pakistan finished 7th in the 2023 Test cycle and ended the 2025 cycle at the bottom of the table. Given the current trajectory, cricket analysts fear the team’s ranking may plummet even further.
