Misbah-ul-Haq deserves adulation for feats as Pakistan captain

Pakistan Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq has confirmed he will retire after the upcoming Test series against the West Indies. Saj Sadiq says millions will remember him as the man who pulled Pakistan cricket from its lowest point to the top of the world...

Recent television reports from New Zealand showed a bewildered Pakistan squad walking through their hotel lobby after enduring a night of panic as Christchurch experienced a terrifying earthquake.

As the Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur described the fear and anxiety that members of his team felt during the earthquake, the cameras caught a glimpse of a stoic figure walking in the background with his team, exhibiting a calmness which has now become a hallmark of his tenure as Pakistan captain since 2010.

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On closer scrutiny, the almost surreal expression of serenity on Misbah-ul-Haq's face seemed to project a feeling borne out of the trials and tribulations he must have experienced leading the volatile Pakistan team for many years, having had the distinct honour of leading it from the abyss of shame that it found itself in the summer of 2010 to the very pinnacle of glory when the ICC bestowed the No 1 Test ranking to Pakistan in August of last year.

The journey from one extreme to another was not an easy one and tracing Pakistan's arduous path through one crisis to another during this sojourn is not for the faint-hearted. What is important is that Pakistan were fortunate enough to have found a leader of substance and fortitude to lead them with assurance when it appeared that all was lost.

The spot-fixing scandal which resulted in three of Pakistan's better-known cricketers being banned for five years will always be etched in the collective memory of Pakistan cricket followers as the most traumatic aspect of this voyage.

However, no one should underestimate the equally tragic turn of events in the previous year when international cricket came to an abrupt halt in Pakistan due to the terrible events which transpired in Lahore in March of 2009.

Such was the dire situation that Misbah inherited when he was a surprise choice to captain Pakistan in October 2010. A man of mild nature, few words and someone who to this day does not tick the boxes for the pre-requisites for a superstar persona, Misbah was on the verge of packing it all in in early 2010 due to constantly being ignored by the national selectors.

Perhaps inspired by a call to arms by the sight of his beloved country's reputation in tatters, Misbah took on one of cricket's most difficult roles to lead a team which had the tendency to implode at any given opportunity.

Beneath the outward calm and a face which expresses little emotion, there has always been a steely determination to succeed as he has lead his band of men from tour to tour and with minimum fuss about not playing at home or being away from friends and family for long periods of time.

He has also withstood some intense criticism from within Pakistan of his own way of batting as well as his style of leadership. Anyone at his age and facing such constant challenges would have thought about taking the easy way out. But Misbah-ul-Haq has never been the kind of person who would throw in the towel so easily.

Armed with an MBA, which probably makes him one of the most educated cricketer to lead Pakistan, and a firm belief that he must lead from the front to take his team of talented young men to further glory, Misbah's legacy is secure.

A Test batting average of over 45, reinforced with 10 hundreds and 36 fifties is an excellent testament to dedication to his speciality.

The Pakistan Test team under Misbah has been nothing short of exceptional; he leads his players from the front with a resolve that would be the envy of many other teams of the world.

In the unpredictable world of Pakistan cricket, to merely play 50 Tests is a huge feat. To captain the Pakistan Test team over 50 times is simply remarkable and speaks volumes of a man who has always put his country and his team first.

Now the time has come for Misbah to hang up his cap and call it a day; for many millions around the globe he will always be remembered as the man who pulled Pakistan cricket from its lowest point to the top of the world.