A FINAL GOODBYE TO SILENT CONQUEROR
Imagine a game that is played by 11 players of each side, but affects the whole nation, with their attached sentiments and desperation of seeing best from their side, the whole country is a piece of it. On the field cricket is a bat ball game but off the field it’s a game of emotions, spirit and obsession linked with hundreds and thousands of followers which can break or make a cricketer’s career. Be it Miandad’s last ball 6 off Chetan Sharma at Sharjah or Carlos Braithwaite 4 sixes off Ben Stokes at the final of WT20 or as a matter of Shadab’s insistence on taking a DRS off Yuvi at champions trophy.Despite all the odds, ultimately it is the representation of your country that marks a proudest snapshot of your life, and when you are up with this open door, you tend to achieve every height to make your country name sparkle, but the position is difficult to obtain and so is the duty. A cricketer’s life is long story of struggle, the journey of young boy turning an international cricketer is not so easy. So, it won’t be wrong in sating that neither becoming a sportsman is easy nor being one is. Every new page set ups and downs of a player’s vocation.
At the point when the hike is begun it gathers moments, milestones, love and respect. After you are done, at an age, the firm decision is to be made. There is an ending point of everything in this world, so is of one’s career. At particular stage of life, you have to realize that your time for international cricket is up. The thought is heaviest to carry and the decision, hardest of all.” I think it’s the right time. Unfortunately, I haven’t played as well as I would like, and I think it’s the right thing and the right time to walk away now to give United the Australian team in the next captain a chance to prepare for the next it’s a long-time memories as an Australian player and captain.‘’ Michael Clarke said in his retirement ceremony, emphasizing the right time of right decision.
Players from every filed of game tends to end their career in way that could be remembered for long. The great footballer Lionel Messi talking about his retirement said, “I prefer to win titles with the team ahead of individual awards or scoring more goals than anyone else. I'm more worried about being a good person than being the best football player in the world. When all this is over, what are you left with? When I retire, I hope I am remembered for being a decent guy.”
Every cricketer yearns to represent their country at international level but few of them get a chance to end their career at a happy and successful note. Be it Wasim Akram, Waqar Younus, Javed Miandad, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Yousuf, Inzamam Ul Haque and many more. Sports is the only profession in the world where you hardly end up your career at your own terms. In recent a TV show, Abdul Razzaq, former test cricketer and now coach of SNGPL (Pak domestic team) and Quetta Gladiators bowling coaching was asked how much he has transformed himself from a player to a coach. Razzaq (Represented Pakistan 1996-2013) with a regret in his tone said, “It’s never ever easy to accept the fact that you aren’t going to play again.”
The iconic skipper of Pakistan cricket team ended his magnificent career this year and this write up is a little effort in regard to his honor.
The way he started and the way he ended, not everybody has the guts and temperament to do so. A little boy who belongs to Mianwali, holds degree of Masters in business administration, opted not a financing job but to represent his nation. Cricket is certainly not just a sport but entirely a life and when you have country’s log on chest it even become more to feelings, love and respect. A true country man prefers to make his performance louder than his words and he was one. Fingers were raised, questions were asked but he went on silently with his own plans and believe.
He made his debut for national team in 2001 but was soon dropped and had to wait for 6 more years before making a remarkable comeback in inaugural WT20 in 2007 South Africa. Objections were raised, and criticism was floated on his selection, but sanity had to prevail and he ended up being the highest run scorer for Pakistan. Many would blame him for the defeat against India in the final of that tournament, but do we really consider the situation when he came into bat where Pakistan were 6 down for 77 and still 80 odd runs required? It was him who took the match till last over indeed he couldn't end it well, probably Joginder Sharma got the best of him. His signature shot went wrong. Bad luck folks! He was 3rd on the chart highest run scorer with 218 runs in 7 matches, not only this his name was also present in the list of highest partnership in the tournament, stood as best 5th wicket partnership with Shoaib Malik scoring 119* (75) against Australia.
“They blocked him. He was worried without knowing God's plan for him. Crises occurred, he was picked, he came, he conquered”-Aaliya Rashid.
It took some time though, but the table turned to his side, certainly the Almighty never let down a person who is loyal in his job. With every new page of life, his success story keeps on adding fresh chapters. Yes! Captain Misbah-ul-Haque is the man with highest success rate in the history of Pakistan cricket. He set several records aside his name, shutting every mouth of bitter words. He is popularly known for,
· Record of getting the fastest 50 in Test cricket against Australia in Abu Dhabi, here Misbah set two World Test Match records. He scored the fastest ever 50 (off 21 balls) and then equaled Viv Richards' 1986 fastest Test 100 of 56 balls.
· Leading run-scorer with a mammoth 1373 runs in ODI's in the year 2013. Additionally, he has the most ODI fifties (15) to his name in the same year.
· He also has the most half-centuries without making an ODI century to his name.
· First South Asian captain to beat Proteas at their soil.
· As of 10 December 2016, Misbah is Pakistan's most successful captain with 23 wins. Furthermore, he holds the accolade of most Test centuries by a Pakistani Test captain.
· He is the first batsman to make a Test hundred after the age of 41 since Geoffrey Boycott in 1981.
· Under the leadership of Misbah-ul-Haque Pakistan marked historic position in test ranking, the TEST MACE arrived Pakistan honoring the number 1 test team.
Hassan Raza youngest Test cricketer in Cricket History, once said that back in early 2000s, Jefforry Boycott visited Pakistan A team camp at Lahore and while looking at Misbah’s batting on nets he commented that this technique won't let him survive in international cricket. 17 years later, he ended up his career as Pakistan’s Premier Batter in Test Format. That’s Misbah-Ul-Haque for us! The father of Indian Cricket, Sachin Tenduler once said,
“Success is a process. During that journey sometimes, stones are thrown at you, and you convert them into milestones.” We found our leader Misbah working on it.
The great skipper started winding up his career from 2012 when he marked end of his T20 career with a sum of 788 runs in 39 matches carrying a strike rate of 110.20 and highest individual score 87*. 48* against SL in 2011 at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi is counted as his on of most amazing and match saving knocks.
In 2015 Misbah Ul Haque limited himself to only test cricket and played his last One Day International game against Australia at Adelaide. His ODI career is comprised on 162 matches in which he played 149 innings and collected 5122 runs in total with 96* as highest score and maintained a strike rate 73.75. His career includes 42 fifties.
Many brilliant innings became part of his test career, top 2 of them were, against Australia where he scored fastest test 50 and the other was historic versus England when he hit a ton on his debut as Pakistani skipper at great Lord’s, this made his name appear on Lord’s honor board. Before the Pakistan vs West Indies series 2017, the victorious captain announced this series as his last and took retirement from international arena. He blessed the team with a see off gift, among Pakistan’s eight tours to the Caribbean, this was the first time when we finally managed to win a Test series, under the leadership of Misbah-ul-Haq.
Misbah-ul-Haque is the man who deserve absolute honor for his services, in year 2017 ICC honored him with spirit of cricket award. He is a mentor and inspiration for many young boys. His calm nature, temperament and the capacity of replying with execution is one of its own kind. His fan and followers adore his personality. What he earned through out his career, will stay with him till the last breath and words will always lack when one will praise his duties and achievement. The entire nation is proud of their brave captain Misbah-ul-Haque..
