Imran or also-ran
Misbah, with 277 runs, is Pakistan’s leading scorer. Afridi (93 runs and 2 wickets), on the other hand, hasn’t come to the party yet. (Source: AP photo)
When a Pakistan skipper is asked a question that goes ‘Imran Khan ka kehna hai ki.'(Imran Khan believes that) it becomes mandatory for him to give a long and courteous answer. Even if he eventually disagrees with Pakistan cricket’s Quaid-i-Azam, he has to start the answer by ‘Imran bhai ki baat sahi hai.’ (Imran is right).
Misbah ul Haq did exactly that.He started by agreeing that leggie Yasir Shah should be included in the playing XI for the do-or-die Ireland game, as Imran had suggested.
He followed it up by stating that the bowling department full of in-form pacers had no vacancy.
And finally, almost apologetically, he said that there will be deliberations on the issue. Misbah had facts and figures on his side, all he needed to say was, “Yasir had figures 8-0-60-0 against India at the same venue, he didn’t have the credentials to disturb a pace line-up that is responsible for Pakistan’s turnaround.”
If Pakistan was looking for aggressive and inspirational leadership at this crucial point of the World Cup, the kind that won them the title in 1992, the soft spoken and non-confrontationist Misbah will have to change. After the game against South Africa where Pakistan pacers took all 10 wickets; Mohammad Irfan, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Khan and Rahat Ali would have expected unstinted support from their skipper.
What they got was uncertainty about their place in the side and competition from an out-of-form spinner.
Pakistan has a raw pace attack that needs constant approval and applause. Misbah needs to handle his pacers like Imran took care of his pack in 1992.
Morale booster
Just the other day, Aaquib Javed, now UAE coach, was talking about the Imran speech that gave them the courage to dream. There is also an anecdote that Osman Samiuddin mentions in his book ‘The Unquiet Ones’ which shows what a supportive captain can do to the morale of a young pacer.
It’s about Imran Khan’s words of wisdom to pacer Aaquib Javed, 16, during a game in West Indies. As Aaquib stood at the top of his run up, overawed as he was to bowl to Vivian Richards, Imran walked up to him. “Maaro b******d ko bouncer,” Imran told him. After that, as Aaqib says, he felt like a lion.
Far from a rousing address in the dressing room, Misbah forwarded an inspirational text message to his team-mates.
“We are fighting for the nation and we will play for our country and win it for Pakistan. We will give our hundred percent and the rest is up to Allah,” it read. According to the Pakistan skipper this was sent to him by a Pakistan fan. Eventually, he would also share a text that his son sent him with his picture. “The picture of my son represents the fans of the nation. Saara 18 crore aavaam dekh raha hai, toh hamari taraf se koi kami nahi ho. (18 crore from Pakistan are watching us, so we should not be found wanting),” he said about the text message.
‘Lala’, the Hero
Over the years, Misbah hasn’t been the most popular figure in Pakistan cricket. Former players have often criticised him for technical flaws in his batting and failure to anchor chases. Misbah would rarely get ruffled by these comments.Though, if there was one man who could do an Imran for Pakistan in 2015, it would be Shahid Afridi.
On the match eve, all Pakistan pace bowlers were seen around the veteran all-rounder. They would shout “Lala, Lala” — Afridi’s pet name — while playing football with him. Afridi has an aura and he can pull off the Imran act.
Source:: Indian Express
