Shan Masood conceded Pakistan "need to be more ruthless" following their defeat by South Africa in the first Test.

The Proteas booked their place in June's World Test Championship final after a two-wicket victory in Centurion.

Pakistan were condemned to a seventh defeat in nine games, and an eighth in succession in South Africa, where they have not won since 2007.

Once again, the Men in Green collapsed with the bat, losing four for 22 in the first innings, and seven for 84 in the second.

And Masood rued his side's failure to once again convert their position of dominance into victory.

"[I'm] extremely proud of the efforts, but going forward as a team, we need to be ruthless.

"We had the game by the scruff of the neck and, even here twice, we had them eight down, and we thought we were in a reasonable position, and even with the bat, when we could have extended our score in both innings.

"We can only look at ourselves. You're going to make mistakes over several days, but you need to have a cushion.

"I thought when it came to a time when we could get that cushion with the bat, first and third innings, or whether that was with the ball when we had them eight down on two occasions.

"I don't think it's a quality issue. The quality is there, and we've seen it at various points. To be a top team, to be in South Africa's place, to play a WTC final, these are the things where you have to be ruthless.

"We're learning the hard way through a defeat, but the challenge is that we have to respond to this and make sure once we get into winning positions, we must make sure we win the game rather than bring the other team back into it."