Misbah-ul-Haq was unique. He was rational in an irrational country, a fitness freak, someone who loved working out. He wouldn’t smoke and would love to lead a life that is unlike most of the Pakistan players. Yes, almost everyone has a common quality out there. But Misbah was something else.
He wasn’t really a late bloomer, in fact, cricket wasn’t his first choice. Coming from a place that produced fewer cricketers, even when it comes to the domestic circuit during his time, you cannot expect him to be a cricketer at a go. However, sports was always there. Both his parents were sportspeople. While his mother wanted him to do whatever he wants when it comes to the sports, his father wasn’t really interest because he wanted him to put his education first. He was the youngest of the family and he did not watch a live international cricket match until he was a teen. He loved Hockey and football more, however, he was playing tape ball cricket just like every other Pakistan kid.
Growing up in the late 80s and in the 90s, a lot changed in Pakistan. The team was winning wherever they played, the players were hailed as superstars and to add more glory, they won the World Cup. Suddenly, the verandahs turned as venues, cricket became a part in everyone’s life.
Misbah would travel places to play the game and after finishing his exams, he joined a tape-ball team and cricket wasn’t fun anymore. It became a serious passion for the teen who dominated the tape-ball cricket.
With almost everyone playing the game and being just a tape-ball player, Misbah’s focus was on studies as well and he went on to complete his MBA and was about to get into a job in a textile mill. He was all set to do the 9-5 regular job but his passion was still alive. From tape-cricket, he was playing at grade two-level. He wanted to follow his passion and he did. In months, with great performances, he was playing at the domestic level.
His performance in the 2000-2001 season got him an opportunity to play for the national side. And he flunked.
He flunked so badly that he wanted to give up the game for the second time. However, he knew he couldn’t. He ended up watching the footage of his games, went back to NCA, improved his game. He changed his technique and performed so well that he couldn’t be ignored. A couple of years later, he failed. 2006 it was.
Once again, he wanted to quit and he couldn’t. He went places once again, learnt the game and tried to come back stronger. The difference this time was that he wasn’t alone. He married Uzma Khan.
To make a comeback, he did all the possible way he could. He asked Uzma Khan not to disturb him for six months and he literally was in the home, playing the game. He would record his practice and would watch them daily.
Come 2007.
“In the airrrr…Sreesanth gets it… India Win…,” Ravi Shastri gushed as India crowned the champions of the World Cup T20. When Indians were running all around, Misbah was there, kneeling down. He knew he had the game. He could have got the team home with ease. He could have been the champion that people would remember him as. They would have made a statue of the shot that he played in the final delivery. Everything would have been different if Sreesanth dropped the catch. But he didn’t. The luck was with the Indian team that day.
Everyone had the rights to be angry with Misbah. Not only for that stroke but for giving the team the hope. Not only in the final but in other matches as well. He wasn’t even the first choice to play for the team. However, he led them from the front with the bat and gave them hope only to throw them away. He was a hero and a villain.
This love-hate relationship with Misbah continued for years to come. When you begin to love him, he would fail. He would fail miserably that he would be dropped. You would end up loving him again because of his passion and the way he gets back. This is a cycle. A good and a bad one.
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In 2010, when he had his hernia operation, he wanted to end the game and wanted to invest in real estate. Thankfully, he didn’t. He came back. Once again.
This time his focus was on the ‘A’ team. He was giving everything to play for the team and to score runs. He once again couldn’t be ignored and was back to the team.
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Some good performances and in months he was given the captaincy, thanks to the spot-fixing scandal. He took over when the team needed a leader.
Well, Pakistan wasn’t really used to a leader like Misbah. They are used to aggression. They are used to fast bowling but with Misbah, he believed in adapting. He believed in whatever strengths he had. Amir and Asif were gone and Pakistan lacked a frontline pacer at that time. Still, Misbah’s confidence kept the team going. He jawdroppingly opened Test bowling with Hafeez. He was successful in bringing the change in the mindset of the players.
He wasn’t really a crowd man. He was called defensive in most of the games. He was accused of not going for a result, not declaring when he could have but he least cared. His slow but successful approach was visible as Pakistan displaced India to become the number one Test team for the first time since 1988. He was leading from the front every single way possible. He helped the team to adapt, evolve and he stabilized them. Under his captaincy, the team was a real threat to every single opponent.
He was able to keep up with the fitness even in his 40s, thanks to his hockey. However, the time finally came in 2015 in ODIs and 2017 where he had to retire. He continued to create records even in his final Test. He became the first Pakistan captain to win a Test Series in West Indies.
No matter what he achieved, he would never be a crowd person because he is unPakistani.
Now, as the coach of Pakistan, he has a lot to achieve. For a man like Misbah who is ridiculously perfectionist, he sure will bring success to the team. Of course, his process is going to be slow but an effective, successful one.
