His tenure (2019–2021) was mixed. He prioritized Test cricket, leading Pakistan to a series win in Bangladesh and a historic 2-0 series win in Zimbabwe. But he clashed with the modern T20 philosophy. He dropped Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez, causing locker room tension.
Needing 6 off 4 balls, Misbah attempted the now-legendary "scoop" over short fine leg against Joginder Sharma. He didn't connect cleanly. Sreesanth took the catch at short fine leg. India won. Pakistan lost.
He walked off the field in Dominica with Younis Khan, his partner in crime, at the other end. Two men who had carried Pakistani batting for a decade, leaving together. Cricket has a cruel habit of bringing heroes back as scapegoats. In 2019, Misbah was appointed head coach and chief selector of the Pakistan men’s team—a dual role that had never worked for anyone. misbah info
In the pantheon of cricket legends, few careers have followed a trajectory as bizarre, painful, and ultimately triumphant as that of Misbah-ul-Haq. To the casual observer, he is the man who froze on the biggest stage—the 2007 T20 World Cup final scoop shot. To the statistician, he is one of the most successful Test captains in Pakistan’s history. To the Pakistani fan, he is the architect of an improbable renaissance, a stoic bridge over a river of match-fixing scandals, player revolts, and exile.
For years, that single shot defined Misbah. He was called "the choker," "the fool," and worse. But in a press conference that night, Misbah didn't cry or make excuses. He simply said: "I thought it was the right shot. It didn't come off. That's cricket." That stoicism would become his trademark. By 2010, Pakistani cricket was at its lowest point. The spot-fixing scandal involving Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Amir, and Salman Butt rocked the sport. Three captains were banned. The team was a pariah. The ICC was threatening suspension. Enter Misbah, once again, as the cleanup man. His tenure (2019–2021) was mixed
But "great" misses the point. Misbah was . He was the adult in the room when everyone else was throwing tantrums. He took a team that was banned, despised, and broken, and turned them into the world’s most respected Test side.
The low point was the 2020 T20 series against New Zealand, where Pakistan lost 2-1 and Misbah was criticized for defensive batting and outdated field placements. He resigned in September 2021 after Pakistan lost to England in the ODI series. He dropped Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez, causing
As he once said: "Cricket doesn't owe you anything. You owe everything to the next ball."