Misbah emerges from Inzamam’s shadow

KOLKATA—Misbah-ul-Haq’s solid run of form is adding steel to a Pakistan middle-order that had started to look a little shaky following the retirement of former skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq.
The 33-year-old stroked a career-defining unbeaten 161 to help save the second test against India this week, a second important innings under pressure in consecutive matches that has raised hopes he could succeed Inzamam.
Pakistan are now hoping that the right-hander will be capable of joining the experienced duo of Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf as the mainstays of the side’s batting. Misbah, who cracked 82 and 45 in the opening test, has been a prolific scorer in domestic cricket but the veteran was only granted a test lifeline in October after marking his return to international cricket with a successful Twenty20 World Cup. The series against South Africa in October — Inzamam’s farewell series — was Misbah’s first in four years, after a promising international start was cut short in 2003 following failures against Australia.
Surprisingly picked ahead of Yousuf for the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa in September, Misbah emerged the side’s best batsman and nearly took the team to the title. “He’s proving to be a player who can adapt to all forms of cricket,” Pakistan’s chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed told Reuters in Kolkata on Tuesday. “He is a talented batsman and we are lucky to have him. It is too early to compare him to Inzamam but I think he can fill the vacuum.”
The century was Misbah’s first test hundred in his ninth game and came after he notched his first fifty in the opening test in what has been a remarkable series for him. “Day by day I look to improve and better my performance,” Misbah told reporters after his century. The hosts are 1-0 up going into the final test starting in Bangalore on Saturday after winning the opening test in New Delhi by six wickets. India captain Anil Kumble hailed Misbah’s powers of concentration. “He’s been really good and shown a lot of character in the four innings he played,” leg-spinner Kumble told reporters. —Agencies