The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : It’s a great feeling, says Misbah-ul-Haq

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It’s a great feeling, says Misbah-ul-Haq

K.C. Vijaya Kumar

‘In IPL, I am just looking at the success of Royal Challengers’

Hard work helped Misbah make a return to the National team
He feels the IPL is very popular all over the world

— Photo K. Bhagya Prakash

ON HOME TURF? The roar of the crowd in Bangalore when Misbah-ul-Haq walked out to bat for Royal Challengers gave him a feeling of playing at home.

Bangalore: His name in Arabic means lamp and he indeed has shed light and busted a few stereotypes that exist in the undercurrents that swirl beneath India-Pakistan cricketing encounters. Stereotypes like ‘you cannot be popular in the neighbouring country’ or ‘you cannot afford to lose a match in a needle clash’.

On Saturday, Misbah-ul-Haq, turning out for Royal Challengers Bangalore, walked out to bat in the DLF-Indian Premier League match against Deccan Chargers at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, and felt as if he was in his hometown Mianwali in Pakistani Punjab. The roar of approval from the crowd was music to Misbah’s ears. “It felt like my hometown. It’s a great feeling,” said Misbah.

Last September, as Misbah felt the world crashing around him at the New Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg after S. Sreesanth caught the miscued hit off Joginder Sharma and helped M.S. Dhoni’s men emerge champions in the ICC World Twenty20 championship, it was time to break the second stereotype.

Efforts appreciated

“There wasn’t any negative reaction back home. People appreciated my efforts and everyone came up to me and said, “It was just a matter of luck that you lost it.” It did affect me as a cricketer. When you end up on the losing side, it pinches you. In that tournament I never thought that I was stepping in for a great player like Mohammed Yousuf. I was just thinking that it’s my last chance and grabbed it,” said Misbah.

Hard-work-pays philosophy has helped Misbah make a comeback to the National team after he crossed the ‘age-30’ barrier. Was there any age-related insecurity? “The selectors think that if they pick young guys, they are going to play longer. I worked hard and I always thought that I will come back and play for Pakistan. I never just let it go,” Misbah, 33, said.

And the hard work does reflect in the numbers — 671 runs from 10 Tests averaging 41.93; 810 ODI runs averaging 35.21 and 338 T20 runs with a strike-rate of 135.20.

Talk veered to the IPL and Misbah said: “Players from different countries are playing together and it’s good to build some relationship with the other players.

“The IPL is very popular not just in Pakistan but all over the world and people are constantly asking about the matches and are keen to watch it. As players we are professionals and we think about the team we are playing for. In IPL, I am just looking at the success of Royal Challengers.”

Misbah also said that being benched in the earlier IPL matches was an offshoot of the ‘only four overseas players per team’ rule. “The captain and coach can pick only those four overseas players whom the team needs most.

“May be we could have two more overseas players in the playing eleven but that’s up to the IPL officials to decide, obviously they want to give more chances to the local guys and that’s understandable,” said Misbah.

Need to be quick

On batting in T20, Misbah said: “In other formats, you have different plans for the ball being bowled at you and you have your shots. In T20, you have to make your plans, at times change it and execute it quickly. There is no time.”

Did missing out in the first list of IPL player auction surprise a proven T20 specialist like him?

“It was surprising. IPL wanted players with wider recognition and I am just a new one who just played the ICC World Twenty20 championship, so that’s okay,” Misbah said with a touch of equanimity that so often characterises his batting.

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