Wednesday 20 July 2016 12:05, UK
Misbah-ul-Haq proved his pedigree in Pakistan's first Test victory over England at Lord's and should be saluted by the cricketing world, says Saj Sadiq...
When Pakistan's Test captain recently raised his hand in a salute to commemorate his first Test century at Lord's, the joy on his face was more than an obvious reflection of achieving a fantastic milestone at the home of cricket.
Similar to how Misbah-ul-Haq must have felt then, for the millions of Pakistan fans watching that moment live on television or the privileged few present at the ground, the relief felt as three figures came up against the name of the 42-year-old Misbah's name was simply a final and much-belated confirmation of the batsman's importance to Pakistan cricket.
It's unfortunate that in today's world, Test cricket is fast becoming irrelevant to many of the global audience, which seems to thrive on an almost unlimited supply of fast-paced games played in coloured clothing.
It is no surprise, therefore, that to many the most memorable innings from Misbah-ul-Haq would be in a losing cause during the 2007 World Twenty20 final against India in South Africa or the semi-final against the same opposition in the World Cup of 2011.
Unfairly given the nickname name 'Tuk Tuk' (an attempt to describe his careful and calculated approach to batting), Misbah was ushered away from the shorter forms of cricket in face of stinging criticism which seemed to reach epic proportions after Pakistan bowed out of the 2015 World Cup.
The proof of Misbah's pedigree as a batsman can be found in the shape of him currently being third on the list of most runs scored after the age of 40, behind Sir Jack Hobbs and Patsy Hendren. Apart from his recent hundred at Lord's, one can also consider his magnificent innings against Australia in Abu Dhabi - where he equalled the record held by the great Sir Vivian Richards for the fastest Test century in history - to appreciate the true worth of Misbah as a batsman.
His Test batting average of just below 50 is testimony to what a magnificent batsman he is. He has not had things his own way though and had to win over the public after an indifferent start to his Test career where he was labelled by many as not good enough for international cricket.
Misbah is a serious man of few words who prefers to stay out of the limelight and instead prefers family time and to let his cricket do the talking. He isn't one for ridiculous statements and perhaps that's the reason he isn't always flavour of the month for the Pakistani media.
However, the intangible aspect of Misbah's presence for the Pakistan team may not appeal to some but is equally important when judging his legacy. To put it simply, he has been the source of stability on and off the field to a team well known for internal squabbles and disunity.
He took over the team in the aftermath of one the toughest crises to hit Pakistan or indeed world cricket. This was the time when the actions of the trio of Mohammad Amir, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif threw Pakistan cricket into a nightmare which was only rescued by Misbah's calm leadership.
Undaunted by the challenges he has faced since that dark period, Misbah continued to toil away with the results of his many years of endeavour plain to see in Pakistan's current Test ranking, which puts them within striking distance of the No 1 position. The presence of Pakistan among the top teams in the Test rankings under Misbah's leadership assumes even greater significance when one factors in the fact that Pakistan has not played a single Test match on their own soil since March 2009, when the Sri Lankan team was the subject of a terrorist attack in Lahore.
Any person with lesser character, let alone a captain, would have probably chosen to walk away but Misbah, with his single-minded determination to achieve greatness for his country, has ably lead a team of mainly young players through what can be classed as all tours away from home. Along the way he has faced criticism of a very personal nature from experts of all descriptions but, using his own performance and a calm demeanour to absorb any negativity about his team or himself, he has ensured that neither he nor his team lost the focus on the goal of restoring the Pakistan side to its previous greatness.
Also consider the fact that Pakistan teams rarely go through a tour without any controversies but as remarkable as his record as captain it might be, Misbah's ability to lead Pakistan through series without anything untoward undoubtedly deserves accolades as well. It is no wonder that even a mere hint by Misbah about retiring caused ripples of concerns among followers and administrators alike, resulting in clarifications and reassurances by the much-respected Test captain that he would be around to guide his team during the ongoing series against England.
Compared to the great Imran Khan for his influence on Pakistan cricket as well as the results he has provided for his country so far, Misbah-ul-Haq's determination to lead his team towards more glory shows no sign of diminishing. He is still there, leading his team with the same fervour, passion and calmness. The legacy of excellence in his performances as a player and as a captain will be a hard one to follow for any mortal who aspires to lead a mercurial side such as Pakistan.
Misbah may have saluted the Pakistan flag at Lord's, but in the opinion of many in the cricketing world, he is the one who should be saluted.
Watch day one of the second Test between England and Pakistan live on Sky Sports 2 this Friday from 10am.
