So Intikhab Alam is back into the fold, this time as manager of the Pakistan team and has immediately claimed that it will be a tough job. Alam, 68, had after the 2009-10 tour of Australia, described the national team players as being ‘**mentally retarded](http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/coach-intikhab-called-team-members-mentally-retarded-850)‘ in his report to a PCB inquiry committee probing Pakistan’s hopeless display](http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/cricket/03-the-perplexing-world-of-the-pakistan-cricket-team-ss-01) in the series. Has anything changed? Allegations, match-fixing, spot-fixing and **what not](http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/cricket/03-allegations-rampant-in-pcb-inquiry-report-ss-07)**…one step away from cannibalism…so it can be safely said that these players have not showed many signs of improvement. Clearly, Inti is having trouble reading the situation, assessing the diagnosis…mental issues perhaps? **
Speaking of which, Ijaz Butt and his friends/governing board members have pulled Misbah-ul-Haq from the house of imminent retirement straight into the role of test captain of Pakistan, the fourth man to lead Pakistan in tests in 2010 alone.
They seemed to be working on this logic: There are 12 months in a year and 11 players in a team. Let’s have a different captain each month and then each December the most deserving 12th man gets a shot. We can go in ascending and descending order once the first year trial of this genius is up. This way we will have 11 captains playing in a team, taking care of the ‘instil leadership in every member of the team’ issue. Plus, no player will be looking over their shoulders in the fear of getting jumped by a team-mate!”
In case this is how the PCB is actually thinking, current test team members Umar Akmal, Imran Farhat, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Danish Kaneria, Zulqernain Haider, Azhar Ali, Abdur Rehman, Tanvir Ahmed, Mohammad Sami, Wahab Riaz, Taufeeq Umar and Asad Shafiq are all the players who could potentially toss a coin in tests.
So Intikhab Alam is back into the fold, this time as manager of the Pakistan team and has immediately claimed that it will be a tough job. Alam, 68, had after the 2009-10 tour of Australia, described the national team players as being ‘**mentally retarded](http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/coach-intikhab-called-team-members-mentally-retarded-850)‘ in his report to a PCB inquiry committee probing Pakistan’s hopeless display](http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/cricket/03-the-perplexing-world-of-the-pakistan-cricket-team-ss-01) in the series. Has anything changed? Allegations, match-fixing, spot-fixing and **what not](http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/cricket/03-allegations-rampant-in-pcb-inquiry-report-ss-07)**…one step away from cannibalism…so it can be safely said that these players have not showed many signs of improvement. Clearly, Inti is having trouble reading the situation, assessing the diagnosis…mental issues perhaps? **
Speaking of which, Ijaz Butt and his friends/governing board members have pulled Misbah-ul-Haq from the house of imminent retirement straight into the role of test captain of Pakistan, the fourth man to lead Pakistan in tests in 2010 alone.
They seemed to be working on this logic: There are 12 months in a year and 11 players in a team. Let’s have a different captain each month and then each December the most deserving 12th man gets a shot. We can go in ascending and descending order once the first year trial of this genius is up. This way we will have 11 captains playing in a team, taking care of the ‘instil leadership in every member of the team’ issue. Plus, no player will be looking over their shoulders in the fear of getting jumped by a team-mate!”
In case this is how the PCB is actually thinking, current test team members Umar Akmal, Imran Farhat, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Danish Kaneria, Zulqernain Haider, Azhar Ali, Abdur Rehman, Tanvir Ahmed, Mohammad Sami, Wahab Riaz, Taufeeq Umar and Asad Shafiq are all the players who could potentially toss a coin in tests.
^ Good one !
Have they got any 'Bob Woolmer' marhoom ki yaadgaar in Pakistan some where?
I like to go there and ask for his pardon and a request to take back his 'curse' and send it back to Errrrr,,,, Kenya,,NO,,,Bangladesh,,,errr wait! to Zimbabwe YES!,,, or better still send it to UAE,,, YES!
On second thoughts! Spare them all ,,, We will keep the curse, But please cast a spell on Chief-de-Patron a la PCB
Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan's latest Test captain, has hit back at criticism over his surprising elevation, arguing that he hasn't even had the opportunity yet to show his capabilities as a leader. Misbah has at least two Tests as captain against South Africa in the UAE next month.
“I do not agree with what they [former cricketers] are saying, doubting my abilities as a captain, and saying I am not capable of delivering,” Misbah told reporters in Lahore. “I know the task assigned to me is not easy. However, underestimating me as a captain and batsman is not fair as one always learns with time and improves.”
Wasim Akram was one of those surprised by the decision to give Misbah, who is 36, charge of the Test team a day after he was named in the squad for the first time since the tour of Australia in 2009-10.
Misbah, however, said he had spent time away from the team training and preparing for any comeback. “I did not give up. I used to train to keep myself in prime form,” he said. “And I was engaged in cricket because I was confident that I can make a comeback, which eventually happened.”
The series against South Africa will be Pakistan’s first since the controversy-ridden trip to England, during which then captain Salman Butt and fast bowlers, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, were provisionally suspended by the ICC over their alleged involvement in a spot-fixing scandal.
Pakistan had problems on the field as well, their batsmen struggling in bowler-friendly conditions; they were bowled for under 100 twice in four Tests and rarely made it past 200. Misbah, however, was confident of a better showing in friendlier conditions in the UAE.
“I think it’s a bit unfair to judge the batsmen solely on the tour of England, as batting appeared to be very difficult,” Misbah told Pakpassion.net. “The batsmen at my disposal are much better than their statistics in England suggest. The conditions in the UAE will be more akin to what the Pakistani batsmen are used to seeing, and I am confident that the batting lineup will deliver against South Africa.”
With Amir and Asif missing in action, Pakistan’s bowling attack will rely heavily on Umar Gul and the spinners - Saeed Ajmal, Danish Kaneria and Abdur Rehman. “Our strength in the spin bowling department could be the key in the UAE,” Misbah said. “We have three spinners in the squad and all are different styles of spinners, so the variety is there. There should be turn and bounce on offer, and it’s up to them to make the most of those conditions.”
The fielding - shockingly shoddy in England - remains a concern, as Misbah - one of the side’s best slippers - acknowledged. “We cannot overcome it [poor fielding] in short time as we have been lacking in this department for years,” he said. “Only sincere efforts and hard work by players can bring improvement in fielding.”
South Africa, on the other hand, are likely to be in their usual, top fielding form when the first Test begins in Dubai on November 12.
Misbah is a decent choice. He can't do worse than Yousuf and company. Plus, our batting shouldn't be too bad as conditions in UAE are like Pakistan. What worries me is our bowling without Asif and Aamer. They ar both are best test match bowlers. Umer Gul has rarely impressed as a test match bowler and him opening the bowling is a horrible idea because he only does good as a bowler when the ball is old and reversing.
^^ yeah you need a good pace bowling attack as there will be no seam or swing in UAW most likely...
but Misbah is a question mark in regards to batting and if he can bat and lead the team then the Test series could very well be a draw.
LAWSON: *Ja mundaya - ja kay apnay daday da naam roshan kar kay dunya wekhay
*
MISBAH: Theek heay pa jee…tenu wekhna main jaroor wada teer maranga aik din
