Australia has clean-swept the Pakistani team 3-0 in the previous three consecutive Test series
LONDON: Criticising Misbahul Haq after Australia’s whitewash against Pakistan is not justifiable. This is not the first time when the Pakistan team, under the captaincy of great Misbahul Haq, has to lick the dust on Australian green wickets — the history is regretfully long. Australia has clean-swept the Pakistani team 3-0 in the previous three consecutive Test series under the captaincy of Muhammad Yousuf, Inzemamul Haq and Wasim Akram.
The absence of green wickets in Pakistan is arguably the most important reason of this discourteous record. The Pakistan team, which consisted of all-star players during the 1990s and earlier had to face the same problem while they have always been quite successful in home ground conditions including in the UAE.
The nation has been criticising Misbahul Haq more than they criticised his former peers like Inzemam and Yousuf because Misbah brought the team to new highs for the first time in history and earned the top position among test cricketing nations. Earning this top slot with a team strangled in controversies and restrictions could not be harder. Misbah led the team when the three most important players of his squad were banned for five years and some critics demanded to ban the entire country from playing international cricket. Almost none of his teammates had ever played an international game in their home country and they were unfamiliar with the definition of ‘home ground’ and ‘home crowd’ which is enjoyed by the rest of the world.
Misbah also lost his top wicket-taker and the world’s top ranked bowler Saeed Ajmal under the controversial bowling action rule specifically targeting Ajmal. With the exception of legendry Younus Khan, Misbah neither had the services of any star bowler or batsman available to him. He had to lead a team with the lowest morale of all time. No one could come out of these crises better than Misbah did. He will leave a great legacy of patience, character and discipline not only for his teammates, but also for all cricket lovers in the world.
Irfan Hussain
Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2017.
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