Misbah turns on the heat on Afridi after match winning innings at the McLean Park
Pakistan’s test captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who is the front runner along with ODI captain Shahid Afridi for leading the team in the World Cup, did his chances no harm by slamming his career best knock at a crucial juncture as the men in green edged out New Zealand in a nail-biter at the McLean park in Napier.
Misbah, who has been having the tour of his life, carried on from where he left in the test matches to post his sixth half century of the tour. His tally includes four on the trot in as many innings of the test series; he scored 99 in the first innings of the second test at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.
Misbah was at his best again and helped his team get past the 100-run mark by scoring a fifty as the tourists collapsed to 124 all out in the first ODI, at the Westpac in Wellington. He again made a significant contribution helping his team recover from 50 odd for 3 in the third ODI at Christchurch, before sealing a win at Napier today.
He came to bat with his team in trouble chasing a stiff victory target of 263 runs. Pakistan were 84/3 with the openers and Kamran Akmal back in the hutch, leaving Misbah and another seasoned campaigner Younis Khan in the middle with the task of taking the team through the innings. Younis was run out after making 42 runs, yet Misbah was the glue once again remaining unbeaten on 93; his best ODI score.
Along with Sohail Tanvir, he took the hosts home when 13 were needed of the last two overs. At the post match press conference Misbah offered his support to Afirdi and praised his role as the leader of the team. He also lauded the effort put in by the veteran Younis Khan.
"Things have worked well for me in recent times. The wicket was really good today, I enjoyed batting here. I enjoy playing with Younis, even during the Tests and other ODIs in the past. The teamwork is coming through - the skipper is doing very well, the team is gelling well. We have a good vibe leading to the World Cup."
Meanwhile Afridi reiterated that there was a great spirit in the camp and the team is gelling well, he stated that he was not concerned about captaincy as, at the end of the day, the team plays for their country and not for any particular individual.
He heaped praise on Misbah after he himself had given his wicket away in a typically irresponsible manner.
"Credit to the bowlers who kept things quiet with the new ball on this great batting track. 265 is still not an easy total, but Shehzad started off well. The way Misbah and Younis took on the responsibility in the middle overs was crucial. Great knock from Misbah."
The captaincy debate is set to end in the next three days, the Pakistani Cricket Board is planning to announce the Captain for the World Cup on the 4th of February. The announcement would come after the two teams play the fifth match of the series at Hamilton.
While Misbah is batting as well as he ever has, the cricketing pundits in the country are raving for Afridi as the leader, as he has led the team well in recent games especially in the wake of the spot and match fixing scandal that rocked the team in England last August.
The dust is set to settle on the 4th with both Misbah and Afridi stating that they are willing to fight all the way for the team regardless of who amongst them captains the team at the premier ODI tournament next month.
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