Shan Masood stays as Pakistan test captain for 2025-27 WTC

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that Shan Masood will continue as the national team’s captain for the entire 2025–27 World Test Championship cycle.

Under his leadership during the World Test Championship 2023–25, Pakistan suffered defeat in 9 of 12 matches, raising serious questions about his role. The board, however, has expressed confidence in Shan Masood and granted him and head coach Azhar Mahmood full authority to prepare the squad according to their vision.

The current selection panel consists of Aleem Dar, Aqib Javed, Asad Shafiq, and Azhar Ali. They will oversee the final choices for the upcoming matches. Shan Masood’s leadership has faced sharp criticism from former players and fans, especially after he was downgraded from category “B” to category “D” in the new central contracts. Despite this demotion, the board continues to back him, hoping for a turnaround in results.

Pakistan will now begin a fresh Test cycle against defending champions South Africa on October 12 in Lahore. This series will mark the first big challenge for the team as it looks to rebuild and improve performance in red-ball cricket.

Officials believe that giving the captain and coach autonomy will allow them to implement long-term strategies rather than short-term fixes. The upcoming series will test this approach as Pakistan looks to break the losing streak and compete strongly against one of the top-ranked sides in the world. The board’s decision reflects its faith in stability and long-term planning despite growing pressure for change.