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The selection of Misbah-ul-Haq into Pakistan's Twenty20 World Cup squad had created an uproar.
Pundits and former cricketers lambasted the Pakistan Cricket Board for overlooking the claims of numerous youngsters for a 33-year-old. But Misbah vindicated the decision with a blazing show in the inaugural T20 World Cup, helping Pakistan to reach the final. That show gave the selectors the confidence to take him as a replacement for Inzamam-ul-Haq for the high-profile India tour.
After a moderate one-day series, Misbah came into his own in the Test series with two back-to-back hundreds in Kolkata and Bangalore, saving Pakistan from defeat. Misbah shared the recipe behind his success in all forms of cricket, besides his plans for the future.
Q. T20, one-dayers and Tests demand different approach, but you seem to have adapted nicely to the challenge. Can you tell the secret?
Misbah: That's how a professional cricketer should be. One must adapt, change one's game according to the conditions. And that's what I try to do. Obviously, the demands of Test cricket are different, you have to be patient and bide your time, and that's what I try to do in Tests.
We play a lot of T20 back in Pakistan, especially during Ramzan. That experience has helped me when I have to go and start hitting early. I have experience in hitting unconventional strokes. One-dayers are also pretty similar. So I don't think it's been difficult for me to adapt to the situation and to the pace of play in different versions of the game.
Q. Can you give some details on the T20 structure in Pakistan?
Misbah: During Ramzan, there is almost no other cricket in Pakistan. There is only Twenty20 cricket, and there are lots of such tournaments, especially in Lahore and Karachi. We play matches almost everyday, sometimes even two or three matches are played in a day.
Q. Give us a picture of your growth as a cricketer…
Misbah: I started playing club cricket in 1995-96, but I was unsure about what to do. I've done MBA, but then I decided I'd be only happy playing the game. Still, I was not sure, I was a bit afraid if I'd made a mistake. After I made my first-class debut, things changed. I did not do well in Tests, but I always hoped to come back. I'm a full-time cricketer now, and hoping to play some good knocks for Pakistan.
Q. So where have you been hiding all these years?
Misbah: Well, I've been playing domestic cricket over the last six-seven years. But due to the fact that there are settled players in the middle-order, I haven't been able to get in. But I've been trying hard. I had an idea that age would be a factor for me at the top level cricket. So I have been working very hard on my fitness. That has been an advantage, I'm very fit and because of that, perhaps, people feel I'm younger than 33 years.
I work in the gym every day for two to three hours, working with the schedule prepared by my trainer. Legs one day, upper body one day and in two sessions I do almost everything to keep myself fit.
Q. You seem to be calm in almost all the situations, how do you manage to do it?
Misbah: I guess this is part of one's personality, and I think it's natural for me. I've been always like this, somewhat serious sort of a person. That's how I am, always like this and that's what normal is for me.
Q. Perhaps, that attribute helped you a lot while scoring Test centuries on this tour?
Misbah: Of course, it has been of great help for me. When you came to bat in the middle-order at number five or six, you have to bat according to the situation. You have to apply yourself. So I was determined not to make mistakes. That determination, I think, helped me to be successful here.
Q. But are you disappointed that your chance came very late?
Misbah: I've never thought how many years I have to play, or what I have to achieve in the game. I must focus on the game I'm playing, on the game that I'm going to play, and on the series I'm playing in.
I work on whatever weaknesses I see in my game, trying to iron out flaws in the time I have between games. I haven't planned anything on the long-term, I just want to enjoy the present.
Q. Your favourite cricketers…
Misbah: As a captain I'd have loved to play under Imran Khan. In the team I've played in, it was Inzy bhai. It was amazing the way he used to handle pressure.
Then Javed Miandad, for the way he would fight it out, even in the most difficult situation, take the team out of trouble. I like Steve Waugh also. These are the sort of players I've always admired, the ones who would perform their best under pressure.
Anupamaa
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