Story in memes - Misbah's departure from ODI cricket
Misbah's lustrous career was defined well by all these praises showered on the departing skipper
LAHORE: (Web Desk) - Pakistan captain Misbahul Haq s One-Day International (ODI) career ended with Pakistan s departure from the World Cup 2015. Pakistan lost to Australia in the Quarter Final of the biggest event of cricketing world and with it ended careers of two of its most senior cricketers Shahid Afridi and Misbahul Haq.
Although Shahid Afridi failed to impress in this particular event, Misbah was, as he always is, brilliant. Scoring 350 runs in the seven games that he played in this World Cup, Misbah remained the highest scorer from Pakistan side. His trademark calmness remained there during the batting but he seemed a much more aggressive captain in the field.
For example, after Pakistan scored a meagre 235 against Zimbabwe in an all-important game, there was no other way for Pakistan to win the match than to get Zimbabwe all out as the total could not be defended otherwise. Misbah told the bowlers to bowl quick and placed his fielders aggressively for catching whatever goes off an edge. His belief in his bowlers was rewarded and Pakistan won the game.
Next time, it was South Africa. Pakistan again posted a scanty total. South Africa needed 232 to win the game and Pakistan had to get all of them out. Bowlers bowled exceptionally well to get the top 5 South African batsmen out early. But it was Misbah’s captaincy that allowed the team to succeed in getting wickets at regular intervals when AB de Villiers seemed to be running through with the game. Misbah kept the fielders up. Steyn, Miller, de Villiers, all got out trying to hit the ball hard but Pakistani quicks kept banging it short and the Proteas kept losing wickets. In the end, it was a convincing win for Pakistan.
Misbah had tough luck against Australia as some terrible misfielding was to be observed and two simple catches were dropped off Waha Riaz’s bowling. Pakistan had to bow out of the event but Misbah’s departure was mourned more by the fans than Pakistan’s ouster from the tournament.
Misbah fans trended #ThankYouMisbah and within a few hours after the game ended, it was trending worldwide.
Talking of Misbah s captaincy again, Pakistan skipper showed how to lead from the front even on the last day of his career in ODI cricket. At one point in the game against Australia, when Shane Watson was on strike and Shahid Afridi had the ball in his hand, Misbah told Sohaib Maqsood to stand at short-leg. Scared of Watson s strong pull shots, Sohaib hesitated in taking the helmet. Immediately, Misbah told him to hand him the helmet and stay where he was. Misbah put the helmet on and the 41-year-old went to stand at short-leg himself. The act was widely appreciated by the fans and media.
Losing the knockout match, Pakistan was ousted from the tournament. The most disappointed of them all was definitely the skipper of the team. He gave it whatever he had. It was just that he didn t have an army strong enough to take on the world. And the only other man who had given his best in this tournament was Wahab Riaz. Being praised for his fierce spell of fast bowling that earned him praises from all parts of the world, Wahab Riaz felt terribly disappointed with the effort his team mates had put in.
Some Pakistanis in fact said that Pakistan was playing with two players only in this tournament as no other player performed good enough in the tournament. Sarfaraz played well against South Africa and Ireland, but he too failed to do much against Australia in the quarter final.
Immediately after the game ended and the fans realized that Misbah was no more their ODI captain, fear took the better of them pertaining to what might happen in future when there would be no Misbah and top order will not be performing as usual.
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However, Misbah has achieved great heights in his career as a batsman and as a captain. He has scored most number of runs as a captain by a Pakistani after legendary Imran Khan. It is pertinent to mention here that Imran Khan captained Pakistan for more than 10 years while Misbah remained the captain for less than half the time Imran captained Pakistan.
As a batsman, he averaged above some of the finest of his age. As a matter of fact, Misbah averaged higher than one of the most celebrated Pakistan batsmen; the great Inzamam-ul-Haq as well.
One of the most striking features of Misbah s career has been his cool temprament under whatever amount of pressure he has played. It is ironic that Mohammad Yousuf remained a critic throughout Misbah s career as a batsman but at the end, Misbah averaged higher than Yousuf in ODIs. And, to no one s surprise, Misbah only had good words for his ideal Mohammad Yousuf in the end.
While announcing his retirement, Misbah was, as usual, humble. He said that it had been an honor for him to represent Pakistan at the highest level and that he really enjoyed his career as a Pakistan cricketer.
Fans will not be able to forget Misbah, not any time soon anyways. He was a class act. He brought to this team something that was unknown to it throughout the sixty years of its history. He brought a sense of calm in this Pakistan side. Playing with average resources, Misbah gave Pakistan the best output that he could manage.
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But it is also a fact that he was probably the most criticized captain Pakistan ever had. Cricket fans blamed him for almost everything, from defensive captaincy to slow strike rate and from blocking too many balls to causing other players to get out. But even his worst critics believed that he used to do whatever he could. Things may have been beyond his powers or capacity but he never gave up too easy.
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The criticism may have been well-founded but as they say, cricket is a game of stats. And if this saying is true, Misbah has everything to prove him a cricketing great. With an impressive ODI average and most Test wins as a captain for Pakistan, Misbah has every right to be forgiven for whatever wrong he may have done during his career. Pakistan will miss him.. whenever the team will find its top order dismantled for some 20 or 30 runs.
P.S. All the memes have been taken from social media websites. Rights of these images remain with the owners.
