Daily Times

Following an embarrassing defeat at Old Trafford, a disappointed yet calm Misbah-ul-Haq said “All was not lost. There is good and bad side to everything. The bad is the way we lost here after the win at Lord’s, but the good is that this team knows how to bounce back from these situations.” He was not wrong. They did bounce back at Edgbaston, at least for the first three days. But things went south in the last
two days.

They did not give up. Their faces did not look bleak at the Oval, as history was on their side. Pakistan had not lost a game on this ground since 1967, except for that infamous 2006 match that was forfeited. Any past team before this bunch would have looked disgruntled after their fall from glory in the first game. But this pack looked as calm as their leader. They had belief in their captain’s word. They had faith
in themselves.

After claiming first five English wickets with a score just over 100, Pakistan should have ideally restricted the hosts to a low total. But the unpredictability struck again, and Pakistan lost its way towards the end of the day. Things looked shaky when in Sami Aslam they lost their highest scorer from the last game. There was fear of the results of the previous game in the hearts.

But, it was the next day where the batsman stabilised the ship. Asad Shafiq, arguably one of the most technically sound batsmen among the current lot, had a point to prove following a pair in the previous game. He did not disappoint, and reached his ninth century absorbing every bit
of pressure.

But it was the man at the other end, Younis Khan, who had his doubters spitting venom on TV shows following his failures in the first three games. He had indeed played in a strange manner, and everyone was bewildered to see his odd footwork. He did not even look a mediocre replica of a batsman of his stature, as he was jumping around even while leaving the balls. But, it was all seemed different this time. He looked composed. He stayed in the crease, watching every delivery. Finally, we had our Khan back. The Khan who had conquered during all those years. His 32nd ton was flawless, with a healthy strike rate in
the late 60s.

Although Khan lost three partners by the end of the day at the other day, it did not dampen his charge. After Sarfaraz Ahmed fell in the morning, he needed the least trained soldiers to protect their Khan. Against all odds, they did not disappoint him. They fell, but not without giving a fight suitable to the stature of their “King Khan.” Amidst all this, Khan paved his way to his sixth double 100, taking English bowlers to the cleaners. It was a remarkable comeback from arguably the greatest batsman that has played for this country. Suddenly, all the talk about age catching up with the legend meant nothing. The champion was back. He had been dearly missed.

The other two players who wanted to put in everything for the game were Wahab Riaz and Yasir Shah. Both had fallen victim to the high expectations attached to them. While Riaz came back to his groove in the first innings, Shah proved his mantle in the second. Riaz’s words from before the series had begun to resonate in his fiery spells. He meant business. And there wouldn’t have been a more suitable time for him. It was his charged spell in the first innings that left England’s middle order helpless. Although he claimed the wicket of English captain in the second innings, it was Shah’s turn this time around. The dry and tiring spells in the past couple of games did not affect an iota of his smile smile. The wicket of Hales might have had more significance due to his outburst following the first day, but he did not stop there. He swept aside the hosts from top to lower order, claiming his sixth five-wicket spell in just 16 games.

The two-two result gives a fair reflection of the bout. A few moments here and there could have changed the figure in either of the team’s favour, but it was meant to be this way. Despite their losses outside London, this series will be remembered for a long time in the history of Pakistan cricket. The current bunch proved that they were ready to compete in any conditions, and their success in the past was not all about the subcontinent conditions. And with the series in New Zeeland and Australia approaching, this one will go a long way in boosting the confidence of the team.

The biggest positive for the team was the improvement at individual levels. Selection changes had paid off in the shape of Sami Aslam and Sohail Khan. Both Azhar Ali and Younis Khan improved their game to their brilliant best. If the one thing that remained consistent, it was the confidence of their leader. From push-up celebrations on the first day of the series to the winning runs in the last, it was his confidence in his troops that proved the catalyst. Being the leader of the pack, he knew how to take charge. He had been doing that all those years the same way. Nothing had to change. It is that confidence that speaks in every member of the pack.

Misbah has built this cricket team from ashes following the debacle of spot-fixing in 2010. The series was more than just a bunch of games. It was a test of character. Thankfully, the whole tour was completed without any controversy, and the attitude of players both on and off the field had been brilliant. They did not have the leverage to go an inch wrong. The stain on the cricketing history of the country might not be removed for a long time, but the way the players behaved both on and off might just be enough to make amends with the wronged fans all over the world.

The writer is a staff member of Daily Times, and can be reached on Twitter at @khaledumair