Mirpur, May 7,2026: Pakistan’s test captain Shan Masood has dismissed suggestions that Pakistan will approach the upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh with a revenge mindset following their historic home defeat to the Tigers in 2024.
Speaking at a pre-series press conference at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Thursday, the Pakistan captain said the team respected Bangladesh’s performance in the previous series and was instead focused on improving its own execution and consistency.
“I do not think our side associates itself with any word related to revenge. We must give credit to Bangladesh for the way they prepared and performed in 2024. We thought we would have the better of them in those conditions, but they played really good cricket,” Masood said.
The Pakistan skipper acknowledged Bangladesh’s resilience during the 2024 series, particularly their ability to recover from difficult situations.
“The way they fought back from situations where we were on top, like when they were 26 for six, showed their skill and ability. We are not going to take any opposition lightly,” he said.
“For us, what matters is our process and ensuring that when we get into winning positions, we finish games off and play a good brand of cricket.”
The upcoming assignment marks Pakistan’s first Test series in six months, but Masood expressed confidence in the balance and versatility of the 16-member squad selected for the tour.
“I think we have brought a very well-rounded squad of 16 players that can play in most conditions,” he stated.
“We are very happy with the squad we have, and now it is about playing 10 days of good cricket. Hopefully, whoever plays better cricket will end up winning the series.”
Masood also praised Bangladesh as a strong and competitive unit, highlighting their strength across batting, pace bowling and spin departments.
“I have been involved in two previous series against Bangladesh, and this side is very similar to the one we faced before — very competitive and skilful,” he said.
“We enjoy challenges, and we like playing teams that are strong in their own conditions. This is an opportunity for us to test our skills and hopefully come out on top.”
The opening Test, scheduled from May 8 to 12, is expected to be played on a green-top surface at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium. However, the Pakistan captain insisted his side was prepared for all conditions.
“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,” Masood noted.
“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.”
