Srinagar: Pakistan Test Captain Shan Masood said tha his side need to be mpre ruthless after losing thrilling first Test vs Soith Africa in Centurion.
Speaking during the post-match presentation, Masood lauded the team’s efforts but emphasized the need to capitalize on crucial moments.
“I’m extremely proud of the effort, but I believe we need to be more ruthless moving forward. We had them by the scruff of their necks but couldn’t fully capitalize,” Masood stated.
“Test cricket gives you a bit of a cushion, but you have to seize the moments. Abbas was sensational, and Saud came close to what would have been a fine century if he had support at the other end. You learn from these experiences and move on,” he added.
Chasing a modest 148, the hosts were in trouble at 99/6, but a gritty 51-run partnership between Kagiso Rabada (33) and Marco Jansen (20) saw them home.
Earlier, Aiden Markram (37) and Temba Bavuma (40) had steadied the innings with a 43-run stand after South Africa resumed at 27/3.
Abbas’s brilliant 6/54 had put Pakistan on the brink of victory, with Naseem Shah and Khurram Shahzad chipping in with a wicket each.
With this victory, South Africa climbed to the top of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-2025 points table with a points percentage of 66.67%.
Their win also secured qualification for the WTC final, showcasing their dominance in red-ball cricket.