 Pakistan's middle-order batsman, Misbah ul Haq, who had stunned everybody
with his batting in the ICC World T20, has decided that he will retire from the
game if he does not make it to the Pakistani team by the World Cup next year.
Misbah was an integral part of the Pakistani team since the completion of the
World T20 in South Africa in 2007, but then lost his appetite for runs and was
axed by the selectors. The younger players like Umar Amin and Azhar Ali
were named in place of him, as the selectors begun to pitch in for the youth
over experience. Misbah is 36 years old.
Misbah said that he the luck was not with him and with the younger guys making
it to the team over him, he had had to think over the whole thing. He also added
that he felt disappointed at taking such a decision, but he had been left with
no option.
Misbah had earlier cried foul when he was not selected for the English tour,
by saying that he had a better average than most of the other players in the
squad and hence, should have been selected in the side.
Misbah said that he felt fit enough to play for another couple of years and
was looking at opportunities to get back to the side in the fifty-overs variety
of the game, in order to play in the ICC World Cup of 2011.
Misbah's debut at the international level had come in 2001, but he was never
able to cement a permanent spot in the line-up as there were likes of Mohammad Yousuf and Inzamam-ul-Haq, always present in the middle.
After taking Pakistan to nearly a tournament win in 2007 World T20, he lost
his form in 2009 which meant that he was dropped from the side in New Zealand
and the disastrous Australian tour.
Misbah accepted that his performance in the previous one year or so was not
really great, but added that he was passionate about the game and hence would
do his best to make it back to the side. However, he also added that the time
was right to start thinking about his future and give himself a time-frame to
decide on when and how to quit.
Pakistan are currently in England to play in a four-Test match series
against the hosts. They had earlier tied a Test series against Australia 1-1.
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