When Misbah-ul-Haq was given the job of the captain of Pakistan cricket team, things were pitch black six years ago but the 42-year-old veteran has turned the tables by helping his side risen to number one Test team, an achievement once considered unthinkable.
Former Pakistan cricketer Mohsin Khan has praised Misbah as he was most unwanted when he took over the captaincy from tainted cricketer Salman Butt, charged with spot-fixing offences alongside Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir during the 2010 England tour.
Speaking to ESPNCricinfo on the appointment of Misbah the chief selector at the time, Mohsin Khan was far from enthusiastic about his prospects. "Who else is there right now?" Mohsin said. "We'll have to wait and see how it goes of course but Misbah has plenty of domestic experience as a captain to back him up at least."
Back in 2010, Pakistan could not play cricket at home and there was little hope of international cricket returning to the country at any point in the future. They were ranked sixth in the world and were looking like moving in only one downward direction.
And Misbah was far from the outstanding candidate for the captaincy, more like the only candidate. He had played only 19 Tests before he was given the leadership role, he was the fourth man to lead Pakistan in 2010 and at 36 he was reaching the age when players considering retiring.
However, in a historic achievement for Pakistan cricket, Misbah led his side to reach on top of International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Test rankings on Monday for the first ever time since the rankings were introduced in 2003 after the fourth Test match between India and West Indies ended in a draw at Port-of-Spain.
Misbah has taken his team to the top of the world after a continuation of successful Test series against some of the best sides, including Australia, England, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
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