Well done, Misbah

It is time now for Misbah's critics to finally acknowledge his achievements and give him the recognition he deserves

New Zealand, like Australia, have found the conditions in the UAE extremely challenging as they succumbed to a 248-run defeat in the first Test of the three-match series at Abu Dhabi on November 13. For Pakistan captain Misbahul Haq, the crushing victory turned sweeter as he reached uncharted territory, becoming the most successful Test captain from the country, with 15 wins under his belt. Misbah surpassed greats Imran Khan and Javed Miandad, who had both led Pakistan to 14 wins each. It is important to note here that none of Misbah’s 15 Test wins have come in Pakistan. In fact, he has never had the opportunity of even leading the national team on home soil in Test matches. Throughout the last four years, Misbah has had to be content with under-achieving batting and bowling resources, other than the exceptional Younus Khan and Saeed Ajmal. From the ashes of the disaster that was the spot-fixing scandal, which snared three of the most important members of the national team in 2010, the Pakistani captain has been able to mould a highly competitive side that has the potential to serve the country well in the future.

Misbah has a quiet demeanour, a calm temperament and a never-say-die attitude that have served him well. The one criticism that can be levelled against him is that the team’s exploits under him outside the favourable environs of the UAE leave a lot to be desired. However, he has led Pakistan admirably during some incredibly tough times. Misbah now must have the World Cup in his sights and Pakistan’s performance at the mega event might decide his future in the game. At 40 years of age, he does not have a long road to travel and might never get the opportunity of testing his leadership skills in England, Australia or India in Test matches. But he is set to leave behind a legacy of his own. He has often been the target of harsh criticism, sometimes unfairly. It is time now for his critics to finally acknowledge his achievements and give him the recognition he deserves.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2014.

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