• Shan Masood has confirmed that Babar Azam will retain his batting position.
• Masood expressed confidence in the team’s ability to perform well in the series.
• Masood acknowledged the importance of pace bowling in Australia.

In a press conference on Wednesday prior to the team’s departure for Australia, Pakistan’s recently appointed Test captain Shan Masood affirmed that star batsman Babar Azam will continue to play the same position.

Shan is sure that every member of Pakistan’s team will give it their all during the team’s three-match Test series against the Prime Minister’s XI in Australia.

Shan, who has captained both English county cricket teams and the Pakistan Super League (PSL), has stated that Babar’s batting order won’t be altered for the Test series.

“Babar Azam is our best batter and we won’t want to change his position,” Shan said during the presser. “I have had a very good relationship with Babar Azam. We played cricket for Islamabad and won matches for them, we understand each other very well.”

“Imam Ul Haq and Abdullah Shafique have done very well in Tests over the year or so and we won’t change the settled opening stand. I have played at No. 3 and want to get used to it.”

In response to a query regarding the availability of two wicketkeepers, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Muhammad Rizwan, the left-handed batsman said that Ahmed is settled in after playing in the most recent Test series.

“Sarfaraz Ahmed did really well in the home Test series against New Zealand and he is our settled keeper, while Mohammad Rizwan was excellent in the Tests in Australia in 2019. Rizwan can play as a batter too and we will see what combination to go with in Australia.

“Sarfaraz and I have played cricket for the same club in Karachi. He is one of the most successful captains in Pakistan, and he changed the way we played Test cricket and its mindset. Sarfaraz, Babar, and Rizwan are those we can take inspiration from and we can use their experience,” he added.

Shan then discussed how crucial Haris Rauf could have been in Australia, where more pace is always needed, using England’s fastest bowler, Mark Wood, as an example.

“We wished for Haris Rauf to be with us in Australia for the Test series, Mark Wood did well there and we needed extra pace which he possesses but since he is not available now, we cannot do much and have to move on,” he added.

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