The ship of Pakistan cricket often finds itself in turbulent waters. It still, somehow, stays on its course, but that is made possible only by the timely emergence of anchors, who ensure stability so that the journey can continue.

There couldn’t have been a storm fiercer than the 2010 spot-fixing scandal, which saw the then Pakistan captain Salman Butt, along with pacers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, getting suspended from cricket and jailed in London for indulging in corruption during the Test series against England.

Things still had to move forward but stability — a trait that has always eluded Pakistan cricket’s DNA — was key. The situation demanded men of integrity over flashy superstars and mercurial personalities in the team.

It opened the doors to the likes of less popular, yet reliable Misbah-ul-Haq — who would succeed Salman as Pakistan’s Test captain — and batters Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq. The trio would form the core of the side which also had to endure the days when Pakistan were forced to play their home games at a neutral venue in the United Arab Emirates — an aftermath of the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in March 2009.

Asad Shafiq, who announced his retirement from all forms of the game earlier this month, was a much-needed anchor for the ship of Pakistan cricket during tumultuous times

Nine years after the spot-fixing scandal, international cricket finally started returning to Pakistan. But, by then, Misbah had already retired, while Asad and Azhar had entered the twilight of their careers.

While Azhar would go on to hang up his boots at the start of this year, Asad — who had fallen out of Pakistan contention in 2020 — announced his retirement from all forms of cricket earlier this month.

Of all the feats he achieved in his 77 Tests and 60 One-day Internationals for Pakistan, Asad’s pride rests in being one of those anchors that helped Pakistan cricket re-emerge from a historic low.

“The fans’ confidence in the Pakistan team had been shattered after this incident, and the process of regaining that confidence was very challenging for us as players, because people’s expectations were hurt,” Asad told Eos days before he called it a day on December 10.

Short in height and always keeping a low profile, Asad — during all those years when the most popular sport in Pakistan looked to find its feet again — proved he was high in stature when he came to the crease with the bat in his hands.

He was a man of crisis in a side which was notorious for collapsing in an instance and having a fragile top-order. Although he wished to play at number four in the Pakistan Test side, six was where Asad got to play mostly. He never turned it into an excuse to do any less better.

Through a reasonable period of time after his international debut in 2010, his partnerships with Misbah and Younis Khan after the fall of early wickets were a regular feature of Pakistan’s Test matches.

Between 2010 and 2018, Asad consistently performed as a Test batsman, showcasing determination and skill in the middle order. He achieved his first century in the format against Bangladesh in 2011 and demonstrated his resilience in challenging conditions by scoring a hundred against South Africa in Cape Town in 2013.

During that innings, coming to the crease at 33-4, he partnered with Younis, contributing 219 runs along with the former skipper against a formidable bowling attack featuring Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel.

In 2016, Asad recorded a notable score of 137 against Australia, bringing Pakistan agonisingly close to a memorable victory at the Gabba. This innings also surpassed West Indies legend Garry Sobers’ record for the most centuries scored at the number six position.

Earlier that year, Pakistan had also climbed to the top of the rankings in the red-ball format, and was awarded the ICC Test Championship mace for the first time since the rankings system was introduced in 2003. The achievement, after all Pakistan had gone through, was a prize for the players’ resilience and sacrifice, and Asad holds high regard for Misbah for leading the team through those times.

“The three, four years after the incident were very difficult and there was no cricket at home, which was a huge disadvantage for us,” Asad recalled. “But how Misbah bhai led Pakistan in those years and we became the world’s number one side was incredible.”

Asad played his only three Test matches in Pakistan when Sri Lanka and Bangladesh visited the country in 2019, before a poor show in England later that year saw him getting dropped from the side.

“I had one bad series in England and I was dropped from the team,” he regretted, adding that the setback did not stop him from continuing to do what he does best in the domestic circuit.

He was one of the top-scorers of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy — Pakistan’s premier first-class tournament — across the three seasons that followed. A veteran then, Asad also shone in domestic one-day and T20 tournaments through those seasons.

“I was asked to go back to domestic cricket and win my place back in the Pakistan team,” said the Karachi-born batter a few days before announcing his decision. “I did that, but I don’t seem to be in the plans anymore.”

Asad announced his retirement minutes after leading Karachi Whites to the National T20 Cup title this season. He will play three matches of the ongoing President’s Trophy as his farewell appearances.

The 38-year-old stuck to a few principles throughout his international career that kept him away from controversy and focused on consistent performances.

“To wear the Pakistan kit and have the star on your chest is a very big responsibility,” Asad said. “One wrong step doesn’t only hurt you, but also does so to your family and the image of the whole country.

“Every player should remember that it’s not only about him, and every step should be taken with caution, as God has given you such an honour of representing Pakistan.”

Asad Shafiq can bow out with his bat and his head held high.

The writer is a member of staff.
X: @shabbar_mir

Published in Dawn, EOS, December 24th, 2023