Sharjah: The upcoming Sharjah Test against England may not be the last Test match in Pakistan skipper Misbah Ul Haq’s career after all. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has requested Misbah to keep his retirement plans on hold and play in Pakistan’s tours of England and Australia next year. Pakistan are scheduled to tour England for four Tests in 2016 and then to Australia for three Tests in the 2016-17 season.
The first question on Misbah arriving at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium was, understandably, whether this Test will be the last of his career. “I think there is much time before the next series so I am taking more time to take a decision and will think more.”
Misbah will be 42 if he plans to tour England and Australia. When quizzed on this, he tactfully said: “There is a long gap for the next series. I was trying to make a decision before this Test but now I think I just left it for that period [before the next series]. I will think once more what I have to do as they [PCB] have requested. I have to rethink and then decide.”
Misbah is happy with whatever has happened so far in this series but does not believe in one Test win creating an impact on the next one. “For me, the last Test is history. Even in the first Test match when we were really in a tough situation people were asking what kind of impact that would have on us in the next game and at that time I said that we don’t think about the previous game and once we go in the next game it’s different. We won the last game at the end, that was a close game and win is a win and we are looking forward to this Test.”
Misbah gave a hint that Azhar Ali will return to the playing eleven and that he may even play three spinners.
“Azhar will come, we will see who opens but definitely he is our main player and we value his previous performances and he is our key batsman, especially in Test cricket. So he will be back.”
Regarding spinners, he said: “We have been thinking about playing three spinners but the pitch doesn’t look like that sort of a turner where you can go with three spinners so that’s the thought at the moment.”
Misbah also hailed Bilal Asif, whose action has been cleared.
“We are happy about that because we don’t have any other off spinner in Pakistan and he took five wickets in Zimbabwe. In him, we have got a spinner whom we can rely on and work on in future. After he is cleared, everybody is happy and he is also happy, and I think that can really help Pakistan cricket in future. He is young and can bowl and bat a bit and that could really help the team.”
Though his team had defeated England in the first Test, Misbah has respect for his opponents.
“They have been really playing well in terms of their batting and in terms of discipline in their bowling. They have put a good show in the previous two Tests, so we expect a tough game. We know they can come down hard because they have to win this game so we have to be mentally ready for them.”
