5 Reasons why Misbah-ul-Haq is the best thing that happened to Pakistan cricket in the last decade

In a country which is known for producing fierce fast bowlers and spinners who can spin the ball square Misbah-ul-Haq has done well to build a great career as the team’s premier batsman. The Pakistan captain recently etched his name on the honors board at Lord’s with a superb hundred against England in the first Test of the tour.

The world has seen many talented bowlers from Pakistan leaving their mark on the cricket field. From the likes of Fazal Mahmood back in the 1950s, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis in the late 20th century, Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Amir have carried the legacy of world class fast bowlers coming from Pakistan. But in the last decade, Pakistan have had their fair share of problems as well and there has been only one man to look up to, Misbah-ul-Haq.

Misbah is the most successful Test captain for Pakistan. He has led Pakistan in 42 Test matches, winning 20, losing 11 with 11 draws. Misbah was named the Test captain at the age of 36, after the spot-fixing scandal during England tour of 2010 and has never turned back since then. Here are 5 reasons why Misbah was the best thing that happened to Pakistan cricket in the last decade:

1. Leads by example:

There have been a number of batsmen who have been named the captain of their sides at least once in their career for a reasonable period of time. Most of them including the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Shahid Afridi ended up losing their mojo with the bat due to the added responsibility.

But the 42-year old Misbah has been the rock in the Pakistan batting lineup since he was observed for the first time in the T20 World Cup 2007. He likes to lead his team by example and thus makes sure he is the strongest resistance in their lineup.

He averages 48 with the bat from 61 Tests and is a hard nut to crack at the crease. He has been the leading run scorer for Pakistan in the last decade and continues to add runs to his tally under all conditions.

Also read – Misbah-ul-Haq – 42 and Kicking