KARACHI: Regarding Misbah-ul-Haq’s distinguished qualities as instrumental in Pakistan’s magnificent rise to No. 1 in Test cricket rankings, former captain Waqar Younis believes the trouble-hit team deserve to be at the top.

“It’s a proud moment for the whole nation,” Waqar said. “It’s a huge moment for Misbah and for the entire team, as all the hard work finally paid off. It’s always the ultimate dream to become the No. 1 team in the world, and there is no team other than Pakistan that deserve to be at the top.

“They suffered a lot in last seven-eight years but they have played outstanding cricket all along,” he added.

“There were a lot of problems in the background — those controversies and especially cricket not being played in the country and the boys being always on the road and away from home.

“So that is the major part I feel the team should be proud of. We kept moving forward after every hurdle, never stayed down and kept on fighting against all odds. That struggle makes this a remarkable moment for the country.”

Waqar was replaced as head coach by Mickey Arthur, who joined the team 10 days before the ongoing England tour.

“I am honestly touched and, no, it’s not about taking credit for what I have done. I would rather give full credit to Misbah, who has shown resilience against his critics and never spoke a harsh word when things were going wrong,” Waqar said.

“People were crushing him down because of his style of play, but now I think those people should be proud as Pakistanis. What else could you want from him? He did everything in his own way and, whether or not people like his way, it is working for the country and has taken us to the top of the world. What else do you want to achieve?”

Misbah’s integrity and positivity despite facing extreme criticism, Waqar insisted, was the prime factor in Pakistan’s giant leap.

“It was Misbah’s honesty and good intent that made a huge difference. His positive intentions and his characteristics are outstanding. His calmness — I have never seen him cursing his critics.

“Even though former and current players let him down, he never responded. But look what he has achieved. This is the kind of thing that made him the best. Pakistan is the team that deserves to be the No. 1 side,” said Waqar.

Meanwhile, another former Pakistan captain and fast bowling legend Wasim Akram believes there is no one in the current team to replace Misbah.

“Misbah is a calm head and is very mature both on and off the field, which makes him a great leader,” Wasim said while having a long interaction with his fans on social media.

The left-arm pace bowling icon also termed Misbah a ‘sensible and true leader’.

A fan asked Wasim who would be the closest successor to him in the current Pakistan team, the former fast bowler admitted that it has to be Mohammad Amir who, the 1992 World Cup hero said, is young and bowls his heart out pretty much the way Wasim used to do in his youth days.

Wasim also picked middle-order batsman Asad Shafiq as his favourite player in the current Pakistan team, saying he was very impressed with the way the right-hander batted at the No.6 in England.

The way Asad came back with a superb century in The Oval Test after getting a pair in the third Test at Edgbaston shows his mental toughness, noted Wasim.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2016