Former Pakistan head coach, Misbah-ul-Haq has opened up on his experiences while he was the chief selector and head coach of the national team. Misbah revealed that he had an outstanding time with the team but he had to resign due to a change in direction after the appointment of the new Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman, Ramiz Raja.

Misbah said that there was a definite difference of opinion between him and Ramiz which forced him to resign from his role. Misbah said that he did not meet Ramiz to discuss the team’s direction but it was apparent that the chairman wanted to part ways with him and bowling coach, Waqar Younis.

The former captain said that he decided to quit his position as the head coach as the initial team announced for the 2021 T20 World Cup was completely different from what he and Pakistan captain, Babar Azam had suggested. Misbah said that there were two or three players picked in the initial squad who were not performing at the domestic and national level and despite resistance from him and Babar, they were selected anyways.

Misbah showered praises on Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Rizwan. He said that Fakhar had been struggling for form at the top of the order and he himself took the initiative to request Misbah to drop him down the order. Misbah said that he, along with Babar, decided to give him a chance in the middle-order to prove his worth and Fakhar repaid their faith by performing at the highest level.

The gritty middle-order batter added that promoting Mohammad Rizwan up the order instead of Sharjeel Khan also paid dividends to the Men in Green. He said that Sharjeel had been unable to perform for the national team and in the PSL and his fitness issues had started to affect the performance of the whole team. He said that Rizwan, on the other hand, had shown signs of playing the new ball well and his quick-learning ability made him an ideal candidate for the opening slot.

The 47-year old added that the changed squad that Pakistan ultimately selected for the T20 World Cup was his original recommendation and said that he was extremely satisfied with their performance in the mega event. Misbah said that changes occurred in the squad due to Babar’s insistence which shows that he is a powerful captain.

Misbah stated that he is hopeful of a bright future for the Pakistan cricket team under the leadership of Babar Azam. He said that Babar has the potential to become one of the top captains in Pakistan’s history and he has the backing of the PCB, the players and the entire nation.

Source: Pro Pakistani