Misbahul Haq becomes country's most successful Test captain after New Zealand rout
The victory gave Misbah 15 wins in 33 Tests, bettering the 14-win record of the illustrious Imran Khan (48 Tests) and Javed Miandad (34 Tests).
"It's a great feeling to be part of the winning team. It's a young team, nobody expected us to perform like this," said Misbah. "I have always believed in myself and in my team and that paid off."
Pakistan had needed two wickets after their opponents resumed at 174-8 but it took only 16.3 overs for them to reach their target as New Zealand folded at 231 in 70.3 overs.
Misbah said it was nice to have a turn around after losing the Test series 2-0 in Sri Lanka in August.
"Sometimes you have to be patient. It was an absolute disaster for me, I didn't get any runs in Sri Lanka and one-day series against Australia, but I kept calm through that."
New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum said he was disappointed.
"Obviously we were clearly second in this Test match," said McCullum.
"Congratulations to Misbah and his team. They were dominant in this Test match and we have a fight on our hands in the next two games. We've got to make sure we keep improving. Spin is obviously a threat but so is reverse swing."
Kiwi Mark Craig, who along with Ish Sodhi (63) had delayed Pakistan's defeat after batting for 14.5 overs on Wednesday, couldn't prolong his resistance as he was bowled by leg-spinner Yasir Shah for 28 off the first ball of the second over in the day.
But Sodhi, who added 39 for the ninth wicket, further defied the bowling with a career-best knock, adding 54 runs for the last wicket with number 11 Trent Boult, who made 19 not out.
Sodhi hit seven boundaries and a six during his two-hour resistance before he was finally trapped leg-before by paceman Imran Khan, who finished with 2-37.
Shah finished with 3-74, while Zulfiqar Babar and Rahat Ali took two wickets for 48 runs each.
This was Pakistan's third Test win in a row after they white-washed Australia 2-0 last week, their first series win over the Aussies for 20 years.
It was again a case of Trans-Tasman neighbours Australia and New Zealand failing to cope against Asian spinners.
But New Zealand still has a better record in the continent than their Aussie cousins, losing six of their 13 Tests, winning two and drawing five.
Australia have lost 10 of their 15 Tests in Asia, with only one win and four draws.
Babar had taken 14 wickets and Shah 12 in Pakistan's win over Australia and the same two bowlers also came good against New Zealand as well.
Babar finished with five and Shah four in the match.
For Pakistan, Ahmed Shehzad hit a career best 176 and Younis Khan and Misbah smashing hundreds in the team's first innings total of 566-3 declared.
Tom Latham scored his maiden hundred for New Zealand in a paltry 262-run total in the first knock.
Mohammad Hafeez scored his first hundred since July 2012 in Pakistan's second innings.
The second Test starts in Dubai on November 17 while the third and final in Sharjah from November 26.
The two teams will also play two Twenty20 and five one-day internationals, also in United Arab Emirates.
COMMENTS (27)
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@Adnan Siddiqi:
You PML-N trolls hate Pakistan success anywhere
Misbah is humble and has a big heart, but still nothing in size when compared to Afridi's head.
@Congratulations: "He remains humble and steadfast, unboastful he carries on." @Mirza "The best part of Misbah is he is humble..." Not just that he is humble but the most important thing is that he "remains humble" and victories do not cause him to become a victim of narcissism.
Misbah is the most successful captain of Pakistan without a doubt. Nobody can deny these numbers. He achieved these victories not in Pakistan and not with Pakistani empires but on a foreign soil and with challenges in the field, reviews and third empires. In Pakistan Midadad was never LBW for instance. Then there were Hyderabad and Faisalabad wickets to name a few. Today's Pakistan team does not have great names like IK or Miandad had. However, they have conquered the best in the world. Whether in hockey or cricket Pakistan has been no match against Australia and defeating them twice with such huge margin is no mean feat. The best part of Misbah is he is humble, down to earth and balanced person who has no arrogance despite one world record after the other and is a great role model.
ET: Please allow Misbah is cautious. If he has a string of bad performances he does not despair, takes a break, then perseveres. When he wins, he does not let it get to his head. He remains humble and steadfast, unboastful he carries on. In terms of character, he is unlike any other captain that Pakistan has had. His character should be a role model for Pakistanis.
@Shahid: He's the best captain "qualitatively". You think you are the best? or Afridi is? None of you can come close to Misbah. He has brains...and you guys don't! Perhaps utilize your brains and you'll do better!
From "Go Misbah Go" to "We love You" in less than 2 months. Pakistanis are a complicated bunch! Still hope left for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif..... CONGRATULATIONS to Team Pakistan & Misbah.
The title says 'Misbah-ul-Haq becomes country's most successful Test captain after New Zealand rout', I expected more information on the history of captains. All I read is an overview of first test between Pakistan and New Zealand. What a poor article. I didn't expect this from Tribune.
Misbah, We love You.
@Shahid,
Bro, "Qualitative" is captaining a team since 2010 which has not played one single test match on Pakistani pitches devoid of the proverbial home advantage and home pitches. More than half the wins under IK and Miandad's credit were played at home with a lot of support from home umpires as well.
Furthermore, I would have seen how "Qualitative" IK and Miandad win ratio had been if Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Mushtaq Ahmed and Abdul Qadir would have been banned from playing like Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Saeed Ajmal. One has to commend Misbah for what he has achieved with such meager resources at hand.
I am just glad that Misbah has bettered the record as a captain and has perched himself at highest pedestal of the great cricketing traditions of our country. Otherwise if we listen to #RoImranRo, one would be made to believe that there was no cricketer ever born before or after him - not only in Pakistan but in the entire cricketing world.
@Ro Imran Ro,
Imran Khan just happened to speak better English and was good at inciting rebellions and churning intrigues against his captains who were more cultured and more polished like Asif Iqbal. We have to remember that he never won a series in West Indies or Australia. You give less than half of the players from that era to Misbah and he'll win you that lousy world cup twice and be number 1 in all forms of rankings.
The wining percentages for the three are as follows, judge for yourself. Misbah can further improve this record.
Misbah: 45.4% Miandad: 41.1% Imran: 29.1%
@ObserverUSA: So as a matter of fact, though much celebrated, Imran Khan was not such a great captain after all.
@Shahid: What do you mean "qualitatively?" Quality is judged by results. He did better than Javed Miandad who got fourteen wins out of 34 and definitely much better than Imran Khan who got the same fourteen wins out of forty eight.
@Adnan you forgot best cancer hospital of the country serving poor for many years and a University which provide free education to many of its student amongst other things.
@Ch. Allah Daad: Sir these were and are HOME series. Still I give credit to this great person Misbah.
@Shahid: Why he is not best captain qualitatively? Because he has achieved great victories without world's greatest players, not at home grounds and without home empires.
@Adnan siddiqui! bro! ,he needs to learn bowling too..then he needs to get his degree from foreign,also he missed out A levels so he needs to do A levels..then misbah needs to become attacking captain,after that he needs to make a highly sohpisticated hospital free of cost for poors ..lol...well then he needs to do one more thing..forget it man we will support misbah even if he does half of what i said..
@Adnan Siddiqi LOLZ.. well said..
Only test of leadership is in results and He has proven that he means business. So, we shouldn't be reluctant to call him the BEST captain in Pakistan cricket even if it puts him ahead of self-declared best captains like Imran Khan, Javed Miandad.
@Adnan Siddiqi: Lets not give a political angle to every news.
Now all that Misbah needs is one away test series under his belt, a world cup and he'd be all set to launch an agitation against the government of the day while dancing on top of a container 20 years from now.
Not the best captain 'qualitatively' but strong character nevertheless. Well done Misbah and well done Team!
Salutations to Team Pakistan lead by their gentleman captain Misbah-ul-Haq, for their continued success in the Test arena. In leading from the front, his achievements have accumulated quietly and amidst the harshest of criticism. He has let his bat, physical fitness and shrewd captaincy, do the talking.
While it may be this very criticism that urged him to be more defiant and determined, we hope that these cynics will acknowledge the ongoing performance of this captain, the other gentleman Younis (who too, has also silenced his critics), and the several individuals who have stood out for Pakistan.
Simply, a well-led Team-Effort. One, that we all wish can continue as best - never forgetting that our adversaries also take to the field to win. Let it not be a defeat that makes us realize the sweetness of convincing victories.
Congrats to team Pakistan and Misbah-ul-Haq
Can we move the World Cup to UAE? ;)