Saad Masood, a leg-spinner, debuted for Pakistan's ODI team against Bangladesh. The call-up came after Masood made headlines for an aggressive send-off in the Rising Stars tournament.
A Fiery On-Field Moment in Doha
During the Rising Stars tournament in Doha, Masood stirred things up with an aggressive moment. Masood had just dismissed Dhir when things got heated. Just moments before, Dhir had paddle-swept the leg-spinner for a boundary toward fine leg.
But the very next delivery saw Dhir chip the ball to extra cover, where Pakistan A captain Irfan Khan took a straightforward catch. Masood, clearly fired up, pointed toward the dugout and told Dhir to walk. Dhir didn't react—he just walked off.
The match, held at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium, saw Irfan Khan win the toss and elect to send India A to bat first. Both India A and Pakistan A had started their campaigns strongly, securing victories in their respective Group B openers against the UAE and Oman.
The tournament showcased young cricket talent. India A's Vaibhav Suryavanshi smashed a 32-ball century against the UAE. The 14-year-old hit 15 sixes and 11 fours for 144 off 42 balls—the joint second-fastest T20 century by an Indian. He matched Rishabh Pant's 32-ball century from 2018. Skipper Jitesh Sharma also contributed significantly with an 83 off 32 balls, helping India A post a massive total of 297/4 in 20 overs. The fastest T20 century by an Indian is jointly held by Abhishek Sharma and Urvil Patel, who each scored 28-ball tons in 2024-25.
From Rising Star to International Stage
Masood's strong showing in the Rising Stars tournament got him noticed by selectors. He debuted for Pakistan on March 15 in the final ODI against Bangladesh.
The game took place at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. Pakistan won the toss and chose to bowl, trying to clinch the series after it was tied 1-1.
Masood wasn't alone—Ghazi Ghori also debuted. Wicket-keeper Ghazi Ghori got his cap in the same match as Pakistan brought in fresh blood. It's part of Pakistan's plan to rebuild ahead of the next World Cup.
Masood's Unique Skill Set
At 21, Masood has a rare skill set that Pakistani selectors want to develop. He's a leg-spinner who can also hit sixes—a rare combo. That combination has fast-tracked him up the ladder.
He's never played First-Class cricket and has only three List A games, but his T20 stats are strong. In 24 T20s, he's taken 22 wickets. His T20 batting is solid—strike rate near 141, average 26.75. He hasn't gotten much PSL time, but his Rising Stars performance got selectors' attention.
Ghazi Ghori, who debuted with Masood, is a different type of player. The right-handed keeper is about to turn 23 and turned pro in 2023. He was a reserve for Pakistan's U-19 World Cup squad in 2022. His First-Class record is solid: 41 average over 26 matches with 3 centuries and 10 fifties. But his List A and T20 numbers aren't great—20.6 average, strike rate under 80 in 11 innings. Like Masood, Ghori was part of the Rising Stars Asia Cup winners, showing Pakistan's youth development is working.
Both debuts show Pakistan's push to build a younger team for future tournaments.
