‘Shan Masood working from home’ – Pakistan team management under fire for dropping vice-captain from playing XI in first ODI against NZ

Pakistan and New Zealand are locking horns with each other in the first of the three-match ODI series at the National Stadium in Karachi. The men in green have given a debut call for the 27-year-old leg spinner Usama Mir who was in the headlines of the Pakistan cricketing fraternity for his amazing performances in domestic cricket of late.

But what raised the eyebrows of the cricket fans was the omission of the vice-captain Shan Masood from the playing XI from the series opener against the Kiwis. This decision from the management literally didn’t go like something to take easy for a section of Pakistan cricket fans. They immediately took to Twitter to lash out at the skipper and management for ignoring an important player of Shan Masood’s stature.

Here’s how fans reacted:

PCB authority has been challenged by not playing Shan Masood as he was VC. Strict action on it’s way.
Regards.

— Muhammad Abdullah Safdar (@MuhammadASafdar) January 9, 2023

> side:
where the hell is shan masood?

— H u n • R o s e (@koalaa_pie03) January 9, 2023

PCB made Shan Masood as Vice Captain of ODI but he is not part of playing 11.

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 9, 2023

Captain Babar Azam has picked Fakhar Zaman and Haris Sohail over vice-captain Shan Masood in the first ODI against NewZealand today. #PAKvNZ

— Arfa Feroz Zake (@ArfaSays_) January 9, 2023

Pakistan building quite a glorious tradition of Vice captains sitting out of the game.

Rizwan(de facto Test vice captain) sat out of the Test series and now newly appointed ODI VC Shan Masood sits out of the first ODI.#PakvsNZ #Crickettwitter

— Akash Kumar Jha (@Akashkumarjha14) January 9, 2023

Shan Masood, named VC a few days ago, sits out 👀 #PakvsNZ

— Danyal Rasool (@Danny61000) January 9, 2023

Pakistan are playing without their ODI vice-captain Shan Masood. #PAKvNZ

— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) January 9, 2023

Shadab Khan who has been our vice captain for the last 3 years and is a permanent part of our white ball cricket is being ignored over captaincy appointment.Meanwhile Shan Masood who is not even part of Playing XI is being considered as a strong contender for ODIS captaincy.

— Areeba (@areeba_chaudhry) January 9, 2023

Naming Shan Masood ODI vice-captain before the New Zealand series and then not picking him for the first ODI of the New Zealand series is very funny, kudos to Pakistan

— Ben Gardner (@Ben_Wisden) January 9, 2023

No VC Shan Masood in ODI team, Leg-spinner Usama Mir is making ODI debut today. Birthday boy Haris Sohail included in Pakistan team after two years

— Abdul Majid Bhatti (@bhattimajid) January 9, 2023

Fakhar Zaman opening for Pakistan today while Vice Captain Shan Masood is not a part of playing XI.

— Wajahat Kazmi (@KazmiWajahat) January 9, 2023

Shan Masood was named VC and Babar decided to not have him even in playing 11. Lol

— Anuj Verma (@Anuj_khoond) January 9, 2023

I’m not against anyone in the #Pakistan #Cricket team but @TheRealPCB made #ShanMasood as Vice Captain of ODI but he is not part of playing 11.#PakvsNZ #PAKvNZ#TayyariKiwiHai #PakistanCricket @Shoaib_Jatt @SYahyaHussaini

— Raja Naveed Qurban Bhatti (@NaveedQurban) January 9, 2023

How is it that Shan Masood is not in the playing eleven? PCB recently named Shan Masood as Vice Captain of ODI, strange…#PakvsNZ

— Ehsan Ullah Dummar (@Ehsan_dummar1) January 9, 2023

PCB made Shan Masood VC and Dabur removed him from playing XI LMAO😭😭😭😂

— 𝑺𝓪𝓷 (@SparklingSan_) January 9, 2023

PCB authority has been challenged by not playing Shan Masood as he was VC. Strict action on it’s way.
Regards.

— Muhammad Abdullah Safdar (@MuhammadASafdar) January 9, 2023

Speaking of the match so far, the visitors are batting on being asked by Pak skipper Babar Azam after winning the toss. New Zealand has scored 114 runs for the loss of three wickets so far. Skipper Tom Latham is there in the middle on the individual score of 26 runs alongside Daryl Mitchel (32 runs).

Earlier, the senior opener Devon Conway went back to the pavilion on a golden duck off Naseem Shah. Whereas the former skipper and senior batter Kane Williamson fell prey to the debutant leggie Usama Mir with an individual score of 26 runs. Young opener Finn Allen also contributed with 29 runs with six boundaries to his name before getting caught by Agha Salman off Mohammad Wasim Jr’s delivery in the eighth over of the innings.

Notably, all the matches of the ODI series between Babar’s men and the Kiwis will be played at the National Stadium in Karachi. Although, Karachi’s surface had been under criticism during the recently concluded two-match Test series between both teams.