Daily Times

Pakistan defeated New Zealand to win a Test series after four years. Misbahul Haq did a fantastic job as Pakistan’s new Test captain by leading the team well from the front. Not only did Haq score well in the two Test matches, he was the bedrock of our batting line-up. Both Younis Khan and Misbah proved that solid middle order batting is what eventually leads to a winning position, thereby giving a confidence boost to the team. Despite a long hiatus from the cricketing world, Younis Khan proved that form is temporary but class is permanent. Pakistan’s new wicketkeeper, Adnan Akmal, should also be commended for his brilliant performance. He was not just good with a pair of gloves behind the wicket and came close to a world record of dismissals in Test cricket, he also played well in front of the wicket. Akmal is a promising young cricketer who will go a long way given a chance.

Pakistan cricket has suffered great setbacks in recent years. From the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB’s) ad hocism to changing captains at the drop of a hat, from a terrorist attack on a touring cricket team to a non-performing team, from match-fixing scandals to absconding players, Pakistan has seen its share of controversies. Now another controversy has started regarding the captaincy. Apparently, PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt has left for New Zealand to sort out the captaincy issue. It is preposterous that just when the World Cup is all set to take place, our cricket board has still not decided who will lead the squad. A change of captain at the eleventh hour will have unintended consequences for a competitive tournament like the World Cup. Even though Shahid Afridi has had his ups and downs as a captain in the One-Day Internationals (ODIs), the team still has confidence in him. Changing Afridi now would be a bad idea.

Stability in a cricket team is imperative for long-term success. Pakistan cricket team needs to be balanced and united at this juncture and the PCB has absolutely no justification for starting a new controversy. Cricket is a passion for the Pakistani nation. Let’s not let the nation down once again. *