Pakistan captain Shan Masood has emphasized the importance of playing an entertaining brand of cricket while ensuring positive results as his team gears up for the two-Test series against Bangladesh, starting on August 21 in Rawalpindi. With Pakistan currently sixth in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) standings, Masood is determined to guide his team to the WTC 2023-25 final by capitalizing on their upcoming home fixtures.

Addressing the media ahead of the series, Masood highlighted the significance of balancing excitement with performance in Test cricket. "You want your fans and media to write good things about the team. That's why one of our focuses is to play cricket everyone enjoys watching. It's a result-oriented business at the end of the day. You have to have results on your mind," he said.

Pakistan’s journey in the current WTC cycle has been challenging, with only two wins out of five matches so far. However, with seven Tests scheduled at home over the next year, including series against England and West Indies, Masood is confident that Pakistan can turn their fortunes around and secure a spot in the WTC final.

"We have to look at our position in the World Test Championship. If we want to play in the finals, we have to win our home Test matches. To do that, we need to consistently take 20 wickets and our batters must provide the runs to support our bowlers," Masood explained.

The Pakistan skipper also stressed the importance of making Test cricket enjoyable for both players and fans. "We all want Test cricket to be fun and enjoyable. Our challenge is to get the right results while playing a brand of cricket that is consistent and exciting for everyone," he added.

Pakistan’s home season kicks off with the Bangladesh series, followed by a three-match Test series against England in October and a two-match series against the West Indies in January 2025. Masood, who took over as Test captain last year, believes this packed schedule presents a golden opportunity for Pakistan to climb the WTC rankings.

Having led Pakistan in a challenging tour of Australia where they were whitewashed 3-0, Masood is now focused on leading his team to success on home soil. The upcoming series against Bangladesh will be a crucial test of Pakistan’s ability to produce results while maintaining their commitment to playing an exciting brand of cricket.