Misbah in the backseat as Hafeez calls the shots
-Photo by AFP
LAHORE: Pakistan’s Test and One-day International captain Misbah-ul-Haq, one of the most successful skippers in Pakistan cricket history, is facing a difficult situation since he has been forced to surrender his powers of selecting the playing XI to T20 captain Mohammad Hafeez, well informed sources told Dawn.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has delivered a clear message to the team management that T20 captain Hafeez is the right man to consult with because he is the future captain of Pakistan for all the three formats and should be encouraged to take decisions to give him more confidence, the sources disclosed.
The message from the Board has obviously shaken Misbah’s confidence and to save his skin he is simply following the orders given by his employers without showing any real resistance.
Sources further said head coach Dav Whatmore had also been instructed that he should consult with Hafeez in the matters of selection and strategy for every match.
Sources further disclosed that PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf has not been happy with Misbah’s captaincy since taking the charge as the Board chief. The sources further said that Misbah is keeping quite over this new situation and is awaiting the results of the T20 World Cup which is scheduled to start in Sri Lanka from Sept 18.
Moreover, the sources said Misbah is also facing problems in controlling his players while Hafeez is enjoying full powers in the dressing room.
They revealed that the playing XI for the last ODI match against Australia in the UAE was primarily selected by Hafeez while national selector Saleem Jaffar and coach Whatmore did not have much input in it.
The sources said though Misbah had led Pakistan to the Asia Cup win over Bangladesh in the final earlier this year, his team was honoured after three long months as the PCB did not want to give any importance to his achievements.
And when the function was finally organised at the Expo Centre after three months, Misbah, Shahid Afridi and some other players got up to leave midway over some snide remarks made by the host, saying that they were being ridiculed as if they had lost the Cup.
It was also surprising that soon after the Asia Cup victory, the PCB took the decision to appoint Hafeez as the new T20 cup captain for the the series against Sri Lanka. Pakistan drew the series in Hafeez’s captaincy.
Though Misbah’s defensive approach as captain has earned criticism from a few quarters, he is still a winning captain and that is what counts in the end. Misbah has led Pakistan in 17 Test matches, winning nine, losing just two and drawing the other six.
Misbah’s success rate in both the ODIs and T20s is close to 75 per cent which is fairly good.
complete and utter nonsense from the PCB, Misbah deserves the right to choose his selected players for the ODI’s. Hafeez has not proven himself, as a matter of Misbah is the one with a sensible head on his shoulders which is apparent from his approach in the field and how he tackles with pressure situations with his players.
PCB don’t rush to get Hafeez captain in all formats, its going to be the mother of all follies. Retain Misbah and give him confidence to build a better team for the next two years.
Misbah’s batting average of 37.52 with SR of 110.20 is far better than Hafeez’s 20.21 with SR of 112.52. We have just seen a trailer of bad captaincy of Hafeez in 3rd T20 VS Australia. I can’t understand whats going on here!
Misbah has been super successful and although nick named ‘Tuk Tuk’, he is still the most successful. Zaka was making all the right decisions until now. If it’s true, its gonna ruin everything we worked on since we lost our three top players.
I previously had no doubts before…now this news confirms me the fact that this guy Mr. Hafeez “so called professor” has big time outside influence to be in the team ; then he became the captain in T20 format and now they are considering him to captain in all formats of the game ! fantastic. Go back in history and try to prove me wrong if this guy has ever played a memorable inning that anyone can remember or at least preformed much better than anyone else than other members in the team. I simply don’t like the fact that players extremely talented than him are sitting outside with no future than playing domestic cricket. Its all biased selection.
the stability pakistan team has got owes to Misba. Show some respect to him although he is defensive at times. The position pakistan team is in ,its credit goes to misba .
Misbah’s time is over. we have to admit it. we should prepare for 2015 World cup from now on. So one can understand that by 2015 Misbah will surely not in the team because of age factor. and calling him the most successful captain is another mistake by writer indeed.
Current Pakistan team owes all it’s success and stability to Musbah. Misbah, you make us proud as a captain. Thanks alot.
Misbah should captian Pakistan test team atleast till the SAF tour early next and then PCB can decide based on team’s and his personal performance.
Hafeez is a flat track bully who only scores against weaker bowling sides so not sure how he can cement his place as a captain in test team.
Nothing new…After Inzi left we replace a new captain after every 6 months just because of dressing room politics. The irony of the story is Malik, Akmals, Hafeez and other seniors who are known to deliberatley underperform and undermine thier captain make in to team again and again. Next Captain after Hafeez will be Kamran Akmal .. mark my words..!!
Misbah could be good player but not a fighting captain, he only plays and stays on crease to justify himself. It has been proved in World Cup semi final against India. No aggressive decision and no aggressive batting according to the situation, at the end, Required Run Rate goes out of sight. Same defensive approach seen in test matches.
misbah has lead pakistan to some notable wins. I think with him going we are again going to go downhill because hafeez still does not convince me as far as one day and tests go. Think PCB are unsettling the team unnecessarily.
Hafeez is T20 captain. He should also select his team… what’s wrong with that..
Misbah, tuk tuk ….tuk tuk tuk tuk ……………………………………….howzzat
I personally support Misbah Due to his calm and defensive attitude… I don’t see any other person playing calmly under hyper pressures as well, as he has been playing and leading the Team…
Anyways…. Misbah good luck and better you retire before PCB should give you notice, as it has been in practice in Pakistan.
“The sources further said that Misbah is keeping quite over this new situation”
yaar angrezi ka baRa akhbar hi, proof tau ker liya karaiN. shukria
To be very honest, I am not a Misbah fan but, disrespecting him as a captain by encouraging his juniors to by pass him is not just ridiculous but pathetic on part of the PCB, especially for Zaka Ashraf. Misbah may be a tuk-tuk player as everyone calls him but, he is a pretty decent person and a calm captain. Whereas this so-called Professor is pseudo, phony and hyper. Hafeez’s international career is not so different from Misbah’s in terms of appearances. After their debut, both struggled for almost 7~8 years to maintain a regular place in the International XI because of mediocrity, lack of focus and unable to impress the selectors.
Hafeez was known to be a 30~40 player he scored his first maiden hundred very recently and the main reason being the encouragement he got from Afridi (as captain) and Misbah both, that he was used as an opening bowler in ODI’s and T20. From the year 2010 he played well as an all-rounder. But, the moment he has been made Captain of the T20 team his performance has taken a dip, the last T20 against Australia was an example of inexperience on part of Hafeez, he changed SIX bowlers in 7 overs! Bravo Professor for your creativity. And, good luck to the team in Sri Lanka
This is Sad when we will get serious. Soon as some one try to make good thing happening PCB play games and destroy the moral. How any Captain can feel comfortable and get the result when there will be leg pulling really bad. PCB can make only right decision when PCB chairman and other are elected not selected
I THINK ITS A RIGHT DECISION CAUSE A PERSON WHO PLAYED 40 DOT BALLS IN WORLD CUP SEMI FINAL AT MOHALI INDIA DESERVES TO BE FIRED OUT OF TEAM RATHER THAN MAKING CAPTAIN. FURTHERMORE HIS TUK TUK STYLE OF BATTING IS GREATLY IRRITATING.
This is how PCB does. Gives no regard to past heroes but praises the new ones.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Pakistan lost last ODI vs Australia cuzz of divisions and we could clearly see how players were playing reckless shots and throwing their wickets away after good starts. Hafeez shouldn’t be the captain, Afridi deserves T20 and ODI captaincy while Misbah should be retained as test captain. Misbah brought stability, restored Pakistan’s pride and earned respect internationally. He plans but players fail to deliver and than they blame him. They keep criticising his age while some players are still playing after 40 and performing well. I don’t see why they should drop him when he’s performing. It’s going to a chaos when he leaves. Just wait and see, Hafeez will be kicked after few failures and PCB will start looking for new capatin.
An old English adage that says “Nice guys finish last”! Misbah is too nice a chap – and people can take him for granted. Besides, as a batsman, if his batting form deteriorates, it is harder for him to lead from the front than say Hafeez, who is an allrounder, and has at least twice the opportunities to show his apparent worth. One should never forget that Misbah’s true value is as a captain – where he has been able to inspire all the players to perform to their full potential – including Mr. Hafeez. The correct hierarchy should be MIsbah, the coaches, and then Mr. Hafeez.
Please dont think bout dropping misbah for the time being… He definitely has some cricket left in him… n should be leading pakistan in test cricket for at least a year or 2. For one day format, he may not b able to continue till the 2014 world cup. so may b it will b ok if he retires from 50 over cricket at the right time.
Misbah should retire with respect before he is dropped from tests and ODIs
Misbah should plan and annouce in advance his retirement from the game in the interest of self respect.
The way you put up your advice for Misbah (one of the most successful captain) I must ask you Is this what your common cricketing sense says to you?
He is averaging 43 in ODIS 45 in test cricket and have balls to lead hi team. n he has been showing this in recent and far past.
Try to learn the basics
what the?? has PCB gone nuts… after some rarely right decisions it cudnt resist the urge to revert back to itself!
bypassing the captain to confide in a to-be with a ‘maybe’ captain??
Very Sad. Big mistake by Zaka. This article says truth about Misbah. This can only happen in Pakistan where the head of PCB is just a political appointee by the country’s President.
To Misbah, don’t be depressed we all know your capabilities and national spirit. You will get your reward one day.
Can you define the national spirit you can see in Misbah & not in Hafeez? Which reward will Misbah get one day? Teams that are successful build in the present for the future. Misbah is approaching 40 and it is time to move on and make way for many younger players with great potential.
@ Zaheer ‘National Spirit” when Misbah took over Pakistanis cricketers were being caught for Corruption, they were playing for themselves and not for country. For example Government jobs Retiring age in Pakistan is 60 where as world over now changed to 65 or more. In short Age does not mean anything if the persons is mentally and physically fit and doing his job sincerely. I have read world reviews on Misbah…even the Indians hold him in high esteem. Hopefully have answered all your questions.