West Indies tour to be Misbah's last: PCB chairman

E-Paper | June 09, 2026

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Shaharyar Khan on Wednesday announced that the ongoing tour of the West Indies will be the last for Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq.

Speaking to media at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, the PCB chairman said he had not spoken to Misbah on the matter, but believed that the three-match series held in the Caribbean will be his final one.

"No discussions have been held with Misbah regarding his retirement. However, a consensus has been reached that the test matches against West Indies will be his last series," the chairman said.

Speculation on Misbah's retirement had been sparked by Pakistan's disastrous tours of Australia and New Zealand.

In January, it was announced that senior batsman Azhar Ali would be appointed Test captain after Misbah's retirement as part of "radical changes" required in the national team.

In February, amid severe criticism from media following a whitewash in the Australia and New Zealand series, Misbah had asked the PCB for time to decide on his future.

Emphasising that age should not be a cause for concern, Misbah said he would decide upon his international career after assessing his fitness level during the Pakistan Super League.

In March, the PCB had announced that Misbah would lead the team during the WI Test series after all.

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Khaleel Ur Rehman

Apr 05, 2017 05:08pm

PCB chairman always made statement without any concern or with sense. I think chairman should retire now.

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MURTAZA ali

Apr 05, 2017 05:10pm

Thank God,may it be his final decision.

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Princess

Apr 05, 2017 05:12pm

Thank you Misbah. You have done a great job.

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rathore

Apr 05, 2017 05:18pm

A very silly headline. According to the main news item, the PCB chairman has not spoken to Misbah, but "believes" (in other words, he thinks) that this will be Misbah's last tour. The headline should simply have said that the PCB chairman thinks that this would be Misbah's last tour, but put in this way it would not have sounded sensationalist. The headline makes it appear that the PCB chairman is pushing Misbah out, whereas the body of the article makes it clear that Misbah himself might decide to quit.

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Mirza

Apr 05, 2017 05:19pm

Hope that Misbah finally retires. Looks like that he has been forced to retire rather than retiring on his own.

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Husain

Apr 05, 2017 05:20pm

I think Misbah should make remarks about it not PCB chairman.

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Imran

Apr 05, 2017 05:22pm

Let him decide himself. Time to bring new test playing generation in 6 months to a year time. Potentially we can make good test team with these lads below: 1- Sami Aslam 2- Ahmad Shazad 3- Azhar Ali 4- Asad Shafeeq 5- sarfaraz 6- Babar Azam/ Umar Akmal 7- Haris Sohail 8- Shadab 9- Aamir 10- Hassan 11- Abbas That's has good batting bowling batting and allrounders.

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wHO CARES

Apr 05, 2017 05:23pm

I haven't talked with Chairman Shaharyar Khan, BUT believe that he will retire after WI tour, and again I believe that PM (thou haven't spoken with him) will remove himself and place a competent person for PM position.

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SID

Apr 05, 2017 05:25pm

Someone please stop this man from speaking to media every other day. He is talking about retirement of the Pakistan team captain without even talking to him ? What sort of professionalism is this ? What kind of effect it will have on the captain when he comes to know board has decided his future without even speaking to him.

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Iftikahr khan

Apr 05, 2017 05:34pm

As usual Sheryar Khan spoke without thinking of his position.

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nafis

Apr 05, 2017 05:35pm

@MURTAZA ali I hope you are right man. We all have been waiting for very long time.

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Saeed Fakhar ali

Apr 05, 2017 05:42pm

Thanks God this is Misbah last series I hope so ? he damaged Pak cricket team, by introducing tuk tuk type cricket and due to his tuk tuk we lost 3 w/cups and one with India at Mahali 2011 we lost his slow run lost 30 runs, than his wrong advice to PCB chairman to have Azhar ali as captain of ODI since he never played ODI this is Misbah who in 2015 recommended Azhar has outdated player since 2013 inspite career and talented players in team again UNCLE Misbah recommended his Sui Northern Gas fellow Azhar, now after 2 yrs wastage of time Azhar removed (right decision by PCB chairman) and nominated right man right job Sarfarz as ODI captain and awaiting Inzi suggestion to have Sarfarz as also test captain. Misbah sooner go sooner benefit.

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Syed

Apr 05, 2017 05:48pm

What a terrible way to make this statement. So if Misbah wasn't aware of this decision, what motivation would he have to go and lead. Instead of letting him make that call out of respect for such a fine leader and cricketer, the chairman wants to show who is boss. Totally pathetic!

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SUDHAKAR, USA

Apr 05, 2017 05:54pm

Anywhere in the civilized world, the player himself gives out a statement about this intent to retire. It is followed by press conference and a send off by his team and management. This chairman will take BCCI to court ffs!

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shazia bangash

Apr 05, 2017 06:05pm

Misbah is one of the two greatest captains in Pakistan's cricket history. The PCB Chairman should not make such remarks without Misbah's approval. Misbah is a legend and such a comment is irresponsible; it is de-motivating for the team ahead of an important series, and it is seriously disrespectful to a legend of Pakistan cricket.

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Sam

Apr 05, 2017 06:13pm

Looks like pcb is forcing misbah to diclare retirement before final match in west indies so pcb can give him a grand send off in west indies.

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MURTAZA ali

Apr 05, 2017 06:14pm

@nafis no doubt he is the real destructor of Pak cricket,a real camouflaged,underperformer.But,alas as usual most countrymen could not guess this tortise.

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zulfiqar

Apr 05, 2017 06:15pm

That's how you destroy relations and harmony in a team. Shaharyar Sahab has a talent for talking out of turn!

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Zak

Apr 05, 2017 06:21pm

It will be good for pakistan once misbah retires. Pakistan will rise to no 1 spot in all formats of cricket.

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Sab se pehle pakistan

Apr 05, 2017 06:24pm

Again this guy has spoken ahead of time. God knows who made him Chairman PCB. Announcing before the series that the Misbah will be asked to retire after this series is detrimental as the boys will not support him in the same as they would support a regular player. Instead politics and grouping will start happening for the next captain. Is he not aware of our team's culture?

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kHAWAJA

Apr 05, 2017 06:25pm

So the person who is going to take retirement does not know if that tour is his last but Mr chairman thinks that will be his last. or He is forcing him to retire after that series but still Mr chairman needs to realize that he firsts need to inform Misbah before making statement

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sky

Apr 05, 2017 06:33pm

@shazia bangash Yes, a player after serving his nation, that too at a capacity of Captain should be given respect to announce his retirement. This type of treatment creates disgust among youth to pickup Sports.

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SID

Apr 05, 2017 06:53pm

It was a very inappropriate statement on the part of Shahryar Khan. But anyone who follows Pakistan cricket knows only too well what to expect from Shahryar Khan. He never ceases to amaze you. Yet he has managed to cling on to his job thanks to the misplaced confidence in him of the powers that be. How could he possibly make such a sensitive comment on behalf of Misbah and, that too, on the eve of the Windies Test series. Coincidentally, Misbah has today been voted by Wisden as one of its Five Cricketers of Year, which is an apt recognition of this great cricketer, who has done yeoman service to Pakistan after the match-fixing scandal. If there is anyone who should retire, it is Shahryar Khan and not Misbah, who still has a lot of gas left in his tank.

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Ashiq Hussain

Apr 05, 2017 06:56pm

@Saeed Fakhar ali very naive of you I must say.

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BEYONDSKY

Apr 05, 2017 07:15pm

There is no proper replacement for him. Except for Yonus Khan and Misbah...the rest are self centric bacchas.

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m@k

Apr 05, 2017 07:15pm

@shazia bangash thank you and probably is one of the very few gentlemen cricketer of modern times...You are Awesome Misbah!!

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Salman

Apr 05, 2017 07:28pm

@Saeed Fakhar Ali Agreed with you as a Batsman , he is a great player but being a captain he had damage our cricketing approach by his defending nature, we must need a captain like Imran , Wasim and Lala

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PAtriot

Apr 05, 2017 07:28pm

@Saeed Fakhar ali I think you've never played cricket in your life

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Pragmatic

Apr 05, 2017 07:30pm

The chairman should have left it to Misbah to make the announcement, that would have been more graceful. Ideally, Misbah should have retired on his own after the last series.

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MAShood

Apr 05, 2017 07:34pm

@Khaleel Ur Rehman I guess it's the age factor, seriously this guy at this age should be spending time with his grand kids, but unfortunately he is heading our cricket board and making these sort of statements on behalf of someone else without his consent!

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Pakfan

Apr 05, 2017 07:34pm

Should have waited for WI test series to finish. Retirement announcement after winning WI series would be better..

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Amir

Apr 05, 2017 07:40pm

I concur with several other commentaries here: this should have been Misbah's statement and not the chairman's statement to announce his retirement, even if this is what the chairman believes what Misbah should do. Misbah has just been named one of Wisden's five cricketers of the year alongside Younis Khan.

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Pak PATRIOT

Apr 05, 2017 08:20pm

Misbah is mentally and physically fit to carry on. No need for retirement. It is the PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan, who needs to retire.

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J. Gamble

Apr 05, 2017 08:27pm

If Misbah wins the series and score good runs, he would be retained for another five years.

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True Pakistani

Apr 05, 2017 08:59pm

Misbah has served Pakistan beyond the call of duty, he deserves to go when he feels ready. Sir, you have my utmost respect.

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Babu bhai from saudabad

Apr 05, 2017 09:25pm

Let's make a history here Misbah byt winning the first test series in WI, InShaAllah.

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Wajahat

Apr 05, 2017 09:44pm

How could the Chairman say that on behalf of Mishnah without having spoken with him. Unless he wants to push Mishnah out. Either way Misbah has done his time and done it pretty well and so has the PCB chairman!

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Shahid

Apr 05, 2017 10:05pm

Headline read it right from 'consensus has been reached' that WI test series 'will be' Misbah's last. Surely this could have been handled better. What a way to send off.

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RobbingHoods

Apr 05, 2017 10:37pm

It is time to promote Sarfarz to be the captain in all formats.

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Ali

Apr 05, 2017 11:24pm

Very insulting to Misbah. Shehryar is on Najam sethi's sifarish and both should be in jail for corruption

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Abc

Apr 06, 2017 12:09am

King misbah must stay for the sake of Pakistan team...

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waheed khan

Apr 06, 2017 01:00am

With Misbah gone we need Shahid Afridi back in the team to lead like a tiger

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waheed khan

Apr 06, 2017 01:04am

@Abc yes he should stay on for atleast 10 more years

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Malik W

Apr 06, 2017 01:07am

That's double talk. 'Has not spoken to Misbah' and Then 'a consensus has been reached'

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vorshal

Apr 06, 2017 04:25am

Although Misbah started late in the official Cricket circuit due to the presence of others, he is still his worth in gold in the Test team for Pakistan. He has a very sensible and stabilizing head as a cricket captain.

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Dr. Atif

Apr 06, 2017 06:55am

So Misbah does not want to leave the game with dignity and grace.

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Abdul rauf

Apr 06, 2017 08:40am

One should retire at the peak of his/her career to avoid such degrading remarks.

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