Masood says Bazball approach could be ‘risky’ in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Top-order batter Shan Masood has lauded England’s uber aggression, known as Bazball, in Test cricket but believes that such an approach could be risky during three-match Test series against Pakistan.

‘Bazball’ is the term associated with England’s Test coach and former New Zealand batter Brendon McCullum.

“I think anyone can but it's risky. As a batter, one bad shot here and you get everyone on your back,” Masood told the Daily Mail.

“The most important thing that England are doing right now is giving players backing. They've decided this is the way they want to play it. They decided that with their white-ball cricket in 2015 too.

“In life, you have to take risks. If you don't take risks, you probably stay in the same place.

“Life evolves, this game evolves, and England have decided to be the pioneers of it by introducing levels that were previously unheard of."

Masood also believes that England might even to go on to win the ICC World Test Championship with the same approach.

“People initially laughed it off when in white-ball cricket they talked about scoring 400 but they did that, and ended up winning that World Cup three years ago,” he said.

“Now, it's come to Test cricket and I wouldn't be surprised if they start winning World Championships with this style of play because they found their own thing, they've seen a gap that maybe exists in cricket and been successful,” he added.

The England team will arrive in Pakistan on November 27 for the much-anticipated tour, with the first Test set to take place in Rawalpindi from December 1.

This will be the first time England will play a Test in Rawalpindi, which has previously staged 12 matches with the home side winning five and losing three.

The second Test moves to Multan starting on Friday, December 9, and the final Test of the tour will take place at the National Stadium in Karachi, commencing on Saturday, December 17.

Squads

Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Zahid Mehmood.

England: Ben Stokes (c), James Anderson, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes (wk), Will Jacks, Keaton Jennings, Jack Leach, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root and Mark Wood.

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