Misbah's form "big factor" in Pakistan flop
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Pakistan's captain Misbah-ul-Haq on Tuesday admitted his failure with the bat was a "big factor" in his team's disastrous tour of Sri Lanka.
Pakistan were beaten 2-0 in the Tests and lost the three match one-day series 2-1 in August.
Veteran Misbah has held Pakistan's frail batting order together since being appointed captain in 2010, and was the world's leading scorer in one-day cricket last year with 1,373 runs.
But age appeared to be catching up with the 40-year-old in Sri Lanka where he scratched out a total of just 67 runs over both Tests and the same in the three one-dayers.
"If I take pressure it won't solve the problem, my contribution as a batsman was not there and it was a big factor," he said.
"I should do more work on my basics and try to come back in form as soon as possible because when you play as a senior batsman in the team your contribution is very important," he added.
He added that lack of match practice -- the tour was Pakistan's first since the Asia Cup and World Twenty20 in February-March this year -- had also played a role in the defeats.
"We lacked match practice and we couldn't handle it," said Misbah whose team was destroyed by Sri Lankan spinner Rangana Herath who took 23 wickets in two Tests.
Newly appointed coach Waqar Younis and batting coach Grant Flower have come under fire since the losses but Misbah said it was too early to pronounce judgement.
"Whatever staff is with you, they try to help you and do the hard work with the players and work with the team, but sometimes when you come into such a situation where results don't come, it needs some time... before the next series we have time to eradicate whatever weaknesses we have."
Misbah and Younis met Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan on Tuesday to review the defeats and plan for their next two series against Australia and New Zealand -- both in United Arab Emirates starting from October.
Pakistan plan to hold a training camp later this month to tune up for the series against Australia which starts with a Twenty20 international in Dubai on October 5.
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Comments (25) Closed
Sep 02, 2014 10:30pm
Sir, why don't you step down as captain.
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Sep 02, 2014 10:30pm
Let it go Misbah..
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Sep 02, 2014 10:40pm
Until we can find a replacement; keep it up Misbah!!!
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Sep 02, 2014 10:58pm
misbah should be retained as captain he is a good team player and top rated batsman in world cricket there is no doubt. right now he is not in top form yes thats true but still we cannot decide on his future with just couple of games . we should motivatehim .
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Sep 02, 2014 11:06pm
@optimist I think he should step down just to prove a point to the critics like you that rest of the Pakistani batsmen are useless. I am sorry to say, Pakistan cricket is heading south and will soon join hockey and squash.
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Sep 02, 2014 11:14pm
For people asking Misbah to go away, do we have any other name? Who has performed besides Misbah? Unfortunate for him, he is out of form. Instead of changing the leadership at this hour, we need to focus on supporting him. Grooming a captain in short time before world cup is going to be a challenge we are not ready for.
Yet, it does not mean we should not start preparing for it.
Misbah, Yunus and Ajmal are the only one in team we have been relying on. None beyond them has given consistence performances and proven record.
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Sep 02, 2014 11:17pm
At age hand eye coordination is not as good. Neurons are slowly beginning to disappear . We compensate well for a while but decline is inevitable. Senior players should keep that in mind. Quit with dignity at your own terms at your own time and preferably at the top of your game.
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Sep 02, 2014 11:46pm
He is 40. Please do not rely on him. Where is fresh talent?
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Sep 02, 2014 11:46pm
What a joke?
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Sep 03, 2014 12:04am
BCCI is behind this, they will not allow Misbah to step down as captain
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Sep 03, 2014 12:05am
Including Misbah it seems like all the batsmen trying to follow a batting script that is taking batsmen no where.
I don't know what so good about Umar Akmal that no one want's to touch him. Honestly he needs time off the field to analyze and read different situation to bat. He should be out for good one year and come back with matured head. Yonius Khan should be back in ODI line up with Sarfraz behind the wicket. Also we don't need M. Hafeez for the world cup in Australia..
ODI Line up: Shahzad, Jamshed, Yonius, Fawad Alam, Sohaib, Sarfraz, Afridi, Wahab, Ajmal, Ehsan Adil, Mohammad Irfan/Junaid
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Sep 03, 2014 12:39am
a captain can be replaced...there is no junior yet who has the experience or the motivational attitude needed...Afridi is failing in both his jobs and seems tobe unfit as well...his spin used tobe an effective weapon which has steadily declined with his fitness...Misbah 's failing is in his steady batting...the test team seems good enough if they can wield a strong ebough bowling unit...In one days the batting in one march was good and it was striggle in teh other two...sarfraz was a one day keeper and using the one day method does not work in the one dayers...he could be teh one day keeper too since he has batting skills...As for the one day captain the move to a younger guy should be taken now rather than year later...shezad, our lead spinner, masood or even in the extreme Younis Khan ...The new captain should learn the art of strategic captaincy and with the coaches work to instill that if one battle plan fails another is ready to go into operation..we should move to have different captains in tests , onedayers and even 2020's...my suggestion is that we try out, Azhar in tests...Younis Khan in one dayers and umar akmal/shezad in 2020's
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Sep 03, 2014 12:41am
without a doubt Misbah should step down - he was a big contributor to Pakistan's loss in the last world cup which everyone is aware of.
I do not understand how the management can justify hanging on to a leader whose decisions are nothing but TUK, TUK, TUK,...whether it is a 20/20 or 50/50 or a Test match. There is absolutely no intelligent strategy I have seen coming from the skipper in any of the games - win or lose!
if I was you Misbah for the sake of our country's progress in cricket let go your ego and resign - you need rest and not glory!
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Sep 03, 2014 12:45am
Other than practice, training, coaching; there is leadership training available in most countries. Most candidates up for promotion in leadership roles in most organizations are required to participate in training for those roles. Why not introduce the same concept of leadership training in Cricket. There is lot of pressure and correct decision making is critical to success. Other than his batting, some of the decisions may have played a negatively role in game outcome, even deciding to bat or not. Very few of us are born leaders but most can improve with training and support. Limited over cricket is all about shot making, Simply putting the bat in front of oncoming ball is a defeating strategy, with no gain, because it gives total control to the opposite Bowler. How many Batsmen did we loose from the same approach? At one point do you learn that doing the same thing will lead to getting out, simply because most Bowlers on the other side know what to do next!
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Sep 03, 2014 12:54am
@optimist Sir give me the name of alternative. A batsman who bats at 15 for 5 and has brought Pakistan through 5 years of scandal less cricket. Shaoib Maqsood is the only one I can see but his dodgy back is a liability. None of the rest in the side that got beaten has a permanent place in the side
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Sep 03, 2014 01:08am
Based on the current situation, there is no way we will make it to the semi final of the WC. Getting to super sixes would be a big challenge.
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Sep 03, 2014 01:30am
Misbah is full of excuses.
He should step down ASAP!
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Sep 03, 2014 01:52am
"Misbah's form "big factor" in Pakistan flop"
This is proof enough to retain Misbah as the team captain. He is The Big Factor in the side. He has most times held the team together saving it from loss/collapse.
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Sep 03, 2014 02:08am
You are done Sir!!!
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Sep 03, 2014 04:29am
Wrong, if we depend on one player then we cannot win anyway.
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Sep 03, 2014 04:34am
Don't understand why we rely on only one or two batsmen. What is so called "oozing talent" doing? If they can't deliver they should not be considered and branded a talent at all to keep false hopes alive for millions.
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Sep 03, 2014 05:25am
One person's form should not be a factor in the loss of a series or two. This is supposed to be a team work. What about the form of rest of the 10 players. Why critics are not questioning their form? In fact critics were after Misbah even when he was scoring. Misbah is Misbah not a magician, he can out of form too. All those who are asking him to step down, should also suggest the replacement with merit.
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Sep 03, 2014 05:43am
Stick a fork in him, he's done!!! At his age I am not seeing Misbah to be around for long even he gains his form back on flat pitches. So replace him with some talented youngster, believe me there are quite a few out there.
There is no chance for Pakistan in this world cup. So there is no point of carrying on with the old horses like Misbah, Younis, and maybe Shahid Afridi also. All were tried in last World cup with no positive results. Now they are FOUR years older and not any smarter. Hafeez may still have couple of years left in him because of his all round style and fitness.
Surfraz seems to have captaincy experience and needs to be given a chance in ODI and T20. Asad Shafiq also belong in ODI team. Better in technique then lot of others playing cricket today. Sami Aslam deserves a shot. Guldozer may finally be in shape after the well deserved break. Umar Akmal needs a break also to sort out his technique, that guy is still confused between ODI and T20. His test selection has not helped him in his ODI technique. But he is very talented at only 23. Counseling may help him otherwise he has to wait to get older and sober.
Fawad, Asad and Sarfraz should be given a long run in Test and ODI. Ahmed Shezad also needs to be persisted in all formats. We are not ready and not in contention for this World cup in five months, so nothing to loose. Give youngsters a chance and experience and build a fresh, new, young team for future. Experience these youngsters will gain will be priceless.
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Sep 03, 2014 08:16am
OK folks - try to be reasonable. I am old enough to see the performance of cricketeers such as Vijay Merchant, Vijay Hazare, Mushtaq Ali, Gupte, Umriger, Manjrekar, Fazal Mahmood, Haneef Mohammed, Imtiaz Ahmed, and their counterparts in other countries, such as, Weeks, Worrell and Gary Sobers. To my knowledge, the teams in those days were not changed every year, neither the players were subjected to harsh criticism right and left by audience. Their experience in first class games arbitrated as first class performers. The selectors of today must be mindful that players of such quality can not always be bought - their inherent God given expertise must be nurtured and not compromised based on transitory poor performance. So, be patient and do not criticize right and left and demand their removal, as it impacts their sensitivity and consequently their performance. Select the best candidates, irrespective of the nepotism you may encounter and give them time to work on their proficiency for some time before you intervene and destroy their career.
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Sep 04, 2014 05:54am
Pakistani Team need urgent changes. Sri Lanka matches were good example to do major changes. Misbah be removed immediately, has poor performances for past some time , his age is a major factor. You need younger players, more enthusiastic. Look at Adel Rashid doing so well in UK. You need players with excellent performances playing outside Pakistan. Pakistan statistics and pitches are dead. You need superfast pitches. Need players with overseas European and Australian experiences in batting in particular. Pakistan should seriously consider buying or sharing one of the UK County fast ground to have training of final 20 players outside Pakistan, they will be exposed to many other players from Britain and Australia. PCB bureaucracy be removed from cricket.
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