Staggering numbers show Younis and Misbah's impact on cricket
“Why does he continue to play?”
“Shouldn’t he retire now?”
“He is nowhere close to his best”
Sportsmen are used to these statements. The longer they play, the more likely their form will dip, their reflexes will slow and what came easy once will seem arduous.
Few, like Roger Federer, have been able to roll back the years and prove that even in an extraordinarily competitive sport, age need not be hurdle. In a team sport such as cricket timing one’s retirement is far more complicated.
History is rife with multiple examples of players staying on longer than they perhaps should have and leaving after a torrid, extended period of bad form.
In the case of Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq, it has to be said that they could not have picked the moment better.
Their exceptional batting over the last few years, coupled with Misbah’s astute leadership, took Pakistan to the top of the Test rankings briefly.
For a team that has been forced to play its home matches in the Middle East, this was perhaps the greatest achievement. When Australia’s magnificent side witnessed an exodus after the Ashes win 2006-’07, the team went through a tough transition phase.
Given that Pakistan’s biggest challenge over the years has been their batting, the exit of Younis and Misbah will be a huge void to fill.