PCB asks Misbah-ul-Haq to continue as skipper till 2018

The Pakistan Test team has been in decent form of late and that has a lot to do with the way Misbah-ul-Haq has batted and led the team. His presence brings a lot more to the table than his individual contribution and has been a huge source of inspiration and has instilled belief in the entire team. He is 42, a ripe age for a Test cricketer and most would have already retired by this age but not Misbah and being the fittest among the lost doesn’t look like he is considering it anytime soon.

It is not just him the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) too doesn’t want him to hang his boots in the near future. PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan in a recent interview with the Dawn said, “Though Misbah is independent to decide about his future, the PCB has suggested him to continue till 2018,”

A fitness test that the entire team went through it emerged that Misbah along with Younis, the two eldest are also the fittest of all the players in the Pakistan squad. Given he is fit and in the right frame of mind gives him the boost to keep going and defy age. “Because of his excellent fitness, Misbah can easily play international cricket for few more years. Besides, he is calm, well-educated, calculative and balanced and enjoys a lot of respect in the team,” Khan added.

They are also considering the options they have at hand and the player who could be groomed to take over. “We have a couple of names in our minds regarding who would lead the side after Misbah’s retirement but we need to analyse them in detail before taking any decision.

“Both Azhar and Sarfraz Ahmed are good choices but the former’s batting suffers whenever he leads the side. All-rounder Imad Wasim can also be a candidate as he has impressed the PCB with his ability of handling pressure at crucial stages of matches,” the chairman said.