“A sportsperson must face challenges and overcome failure,” said Shafique. “I thank the team management and the captain for trusting me and giving me a good chance. You face many mental challenges and many doubts, but you have to overcome everything and do well.”
“Saim [Ayub] he got two 50s in the last two Tests, if we had dropped him after the first Test, I’ve got that in me; not fun,” he said. “When I was out of the team for two years, I averaged over 60 in List A cricket, but Imam. [ul-Haq-] and Fakhar [Zaman] they have been doing so. I did not complain that I was not selected, because I understood that the level of competition was high. If the coach supports the players, they do the right thing.”
Shafique, however, knows that eventually there were limits to the endurance of Pakistan’s selectors. Since his hundred in the first Test against England two years ago, he has averaged 24.57 in 21 innings; he skipped 30 just five times, and managed a hundred and a half. With the tough tour of South Africa coming up during the holidays, he was well aware that he needed to protect his captain.
“It was a very important day as the first in the series,” said Shafique. The whole team understood the importance of setting the tone up front because that’s how the team plays after that. The wicket is difficult to hit on a new pitch with a new ball, but the partnership between me and Shan has given the team a lot of momentum.”
After Ayub fell in the morning, Pakistan could have feared another day of batting practice, but Masood attacked England’s bowlers, content with Shafique playing second fiddle. As the scoreboard began to tilt in Pakistan’s favour, there were glimpses of Shafique’s style and attitude; he increased his half-century by six, and went from 94 to 100 with perhaps the picture of the day, a gallop ahead of Jack Leach’s long-time promotion.
“It’s a challenge to bat for a long time because of this intense heat in Multan. But you can’t allow yourself to make excuses and keep trying to do what you need to do. How well you take your chance is what matters. bat but the whole team is confident if you do well.”
Pakistan seems to have never lost faith in Shafique. In two sessions as England’s bowlers worked hard against Multan, Shafique continued to show why.
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