Misbah-ul-Haq

Misbah-ul-Haq Khan Niazi
Birth date: 28th May 1974, Mianwali, Punjab

Teams: Pakistan (Test: 2000/01-2009/10); Pakistan (ODI: 2002-2009/10); Pakistan (Int Twenty20: 2007/08-2010); Pakistan(Twenty20 World Cup: 2007/08-2009); Sargodha (Main FC: 1998/99-2001/02); Khan Research Laboratories (Main FC: 2000/01-2002/03); Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (Main FC: 2003/04-2009/10); Faisalabad (Main FC: 2003/04-2006/07);Baluchistan (Main FC: 2008/09); Sargodha (Main ListA: 1998/99-2000/01); Khan Research Laboratories (Main ListA: 2000/01-2002/03); Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (Main ListA: 2003/04-2009/10); Faisalabad (Main ListA: 2003/04);Faisalabad Wolves (Main ListA: 2004/05-2006/07);Baluchistan Bears (Main ListA: 2008/09); Faisalabad Wolves(Main Twenty20: 2005/06-2009/10)

Test debut:  New Zealand v Pakistan at Auckland, Mar 8-12, 2001

ODI debut:  Pakistan v New Zealand at Lahore, Apr 27, 2002

T20I debut:  Bangladesh v Pakistan at Nairobi (Gym), Sep 2, 2007

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Legbreak

An orthodox batsman with reasonable technique, Misbah-ul-Haq caught the eye with his unflappable temperament. Misbah made his debut in 2001 against New Zealand but he wasn’t a regular feature in the Pakistan Team.
 

 A run-filled domestic season, followed by club cricket in England, and Inzamam's retirement from ODIs prompted the board to award Misbah a central contract in July 2007. A month later, at the age of 33 years he was surprisingly picked, ahead of Mohammad Yousuf, for the 15-man squad for the Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa in 2008. He appears unfazed and unflappable out in the middle – reminiscent of the man he has replaced in the squad, and this temperament has seen him establish himself as one of Pakistan’s premier batsman.

One of the sensations of tournament – a super-cool individual, who virtually single-handedly guided Pakistan to the final with some truly amazing innings. He finishing the tournament as Pakistan's best player and nearly taking them to victory in the final. The final will be remembered for ‘that shot’ at the end of the game, Misbah was 1 shot away from taking Pakistan to World T20 glory.

Since making his Test debut in 2001, he has played only 19 Tests and the majority of those came after 2007, when he returned to the international stage after a four-year gap. Over the next year or so, Misbah enjoyed his most productive period, scoring two Test hundreds on a successful tour of India. The renaissance of Misbah ul Haq has been extraordinary – He is ‘Mr Dependable’ and is making the best use of his new found opportunity. But a run of just three half-centuries in his last 15 Test innings - despite decent returns in the limited-overs formats - resulted in his exclusion in favour of younger options.

He now boasts an impressive Test and ODI record, with 2 scintillating test centuries against India in 2007, and was rewarded with the Pakistani Vice-Captaincy. His form deserted him again in 2009, and he dropped from all three squads for the series against New Zealand - but made yet another return to the side in October 2010, this time as captain for the Tests against South Africa. An educated man, he is widely respected amongst his peers for calming influence within a team.

Batting and fielding averages

	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St
Tests	19	33	3	1008	161*	33.60	2600	38.76	2	4	106	9	24	0
ODIs	56	50	11	1523	79*	39.05	1875	81.22	0	9	112	24	32	0
T20Is	29	25	9	577	87*	36.06	491	117.51	0	3	32	22	9	0
First-class	155	250	27	11229	284	50.35			32	53			158	0
List A	164	149	32	5708	129*	48.78			10	34			85	0
Twenty20	57	49	15	1210	107*	35.58	964	125.51	1	5	77	49	22	0

Bowling averages

	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10
Tests	19	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
ODIs	56	1	24	30	0	-	-	-	7.50	-	0	0	0
T20Is	29	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
First-class	155		318	242	3	1/2		80.66	4.56	106.0		0	0
List A	164		144	179	1	1/10	1/10	179.00	7.45	144.0	0	0	0
Twenty20	57	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Misbah becomes Pakistan Test Captain- Mohsin

Pakistan recalled Misbah-ul-Haq to the Test side and installed him as captain primarily because Younis Khan was not cleared for selection by the PCB, the chief selector Mohsin Khan has said. 

 "We needed a senior player to strengthen our batting line-up," Mohsin told the News. "Our first choice was Younis Khan but we didn't get any clearance [from the PCB], after which we discussed the option of recalling Misbah and decided to go for it."

Another factor that went in Misbah's favour was his non-controversial record and fitness, despite being 36. "In a team where many of the players have had serious disciplinary problems, Misbah is one guy who has a neat and clean background," Mohsin said. "He is a thorough professional and one of the fittest players in our country, which is another big plus point.

"I know that Misbah has just managed to score runs on and off in his international career but he is the kind of player who can click anytime. He has done well in the Pentangular Cup and the National One-Day Cup which is a good sign."

Misbah will lead Pakistan in the two-Test series against South Africa in Abu Dhabi in November. He becomes the fourth man, after Mohammad Yousuf, Shahid Afridi and Salman Butt, to captain Pakistan in Tests in 2010 alone.

Test squad: Imran Farhat, Taufeeq Umar, Asad Shafiq, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah ul Haq (capt), Umar Akmal. Azhar Ali, Saeed Ajmal, Danish Kaneria, Abdur Rehman, Zulqarnain Haider, Umar Gul, Tanvir Ahmed, Mohammad Sami, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Tanvir (subject to fitness).