Misbah, The Savior - A Fan's view

Misbah has been the savior of Pakistan Cricket Team for years now © Getty Images

He smiled, he half shrugged and started to walk off. Misbah-ul-Haq just thought he was sold the dummy by his partner and was run out. The replays showed that he wasn’t. But it did not matter. Misbah had done his job. Had it not been for Misbah’s knock of 61, Lahore would have battered Islamabad a couple of weeks ago on Saturday and nobody would have complained.

According to Dean Jones, coach Islamabad United, the team has been through hell. However, some might say it was a typical Misbah innings. Coming in after a quick fall of wickets (albeit after a good start), with a collapsing middle order and tumbling run rate, Misbah did what he has been doing for almost a decade now. He played to his strengths, he hit sixes in his area and earned respect for his team. It was a typical Misbah innings, but of greater significance was his smile of despair after his partner failed to respond to his call.

The shrug probably was the Misbah way of showing his desolation. It gives away very little but such signs are there for his fans to see. It was his way of asking Shadab Khan and all of us a few questions. I am 42, you are 18. Yet I ran two, while you stand and watch the ball? Perhaps he wonders if we deserve a leader like him. Why do I have to pick the slack for these guys every freaking time? Why have I become the Mr. Fix-it-please of Pakistan Cricket? Key players deflecting to ICL, Misbah gate crashes Pakistan to the T20 World Cup Final. Afridi quits mid-series, Salman Butt sells himself out, Misbah, can you please pick up the pieces? Afridi falls out with the full-time clown and part-time PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt, SOS call goes out to Misbah. We haven’t played an away series down under in 6 years, we haven’t got anyone to replace you, can you please put your legacy at stake and play at the age of 42, please Misbah? Oh, and one last thing, we appreciate you helping us out when the boys took some money last time, would you be kind enough to do that again? Our boys are kind of naughty.

Dean Jones praised Misbah as the calming influence and the entertainer-in-chief of the group. "The humorous side of Misbah is out and about", he observed. Is this the Misbah way? Just laugh it off? What is he making puns about? His luck? I don’t know how you did it the first time, but I inform you with regret, Misbah Bhai, that the hearing is on to decide the fate of Pakistan Cricket once again. Can you bail us out once more?​