We don’t know the exact definition of a superhero. But looking at Misbah-ul-Haq, who led Pakistan at a time the team was stuck in the manacle of spot fixing and was isolated owing to terrorism, has the qualities that a superhero needs.
He was the man with vigor, brio and was a steadfast driver of the Pakistani team that might have crumbled otherwise. A leader who could undoubtedly be listed among the legends of Pakistani cricket, alongside Imran Khan and Wasim Akram. He managed to bring smiles on the faces of millions of Pakistanis. And today every cricket fan wants to thank Misbah – a commendable ambassador of Pakistan – for giving us countless moments of happiness by defeating all the odds, including terrorism and spot-fixing.
Misbah, who took over the captaincy of the Test side in the midst of spot fixing controversy in 2010, has made our heads go high on many occasions. His captaincy has catalyzed many positive outcomes including engraving of a positive image of Pakistan on international forum by showing it as a cricket loving nation.
He took us over the moon when Pakistan was ranked the No. 1 Test team last year. The words of Lawrence Booth further glorify his gutsy captaincy who states that 'against the odds, he led Pakistan, without a home Test since 2009, to the top of the rankings - and all at the age of 42'. He also made it possible for the cricket freaks to enjoy the serenity of receiving the ICC Test mace for the first time in the history of Pakistan cricket. Another heroic moment was his celebratory push-ups after hitting a century at Lord’s that set the tone for the series in England last year.
A recent Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year report, has also listed Misbah among top 5 cricketers of the year 2016 as he was the central figure during an extremely competitive series against England that ended in a 2-2 draw. Although he has not led Pakistan to the World Cup win, still the team fought strongly under his captaincy in the matches against Australia and South Africa in the 2015 World Cup, making those matches memorable for the spectators.
He is also listed as the most successful Pakistan Test team captain ever. And who can forget his 56-ball century against Australia, equaling the record of Sir Vivian Richards. Moreover, he has the record of most centuries in the Test cricket beyond the age of 40 under his belt.
He has set a great example of captaincy and professionalism for the young cricketers to follow. He helped to change the picture for the cricket team and the image of Pakistan. It would not be an easy task to find a cricketer of his caliber, who brought Pakistan out of the ligature of darkness. His valor, his vision and his dedication are the qualities that will be dearly missed by Pakistan cricket.
Misbah has provided the necessary glue for the crumbling blocks of cricket, and we Pakistanis are not going to forget his services for Pakistan. I must say “Misbah, you beauty” is the chant of every Pakistani who loves cricket. We are grateful for his sincere efforts to uplift the status of Pakistan , and his innumerable services in bringing our cricket back from the dead.