ISLAMABAD – Veteran batsman Misbah-ul-Haq gave a lesson to the youngstersfeaturing in the HBL Pakistan Super League 2019 with a fighting unbeatenhalf-century that snatched victory from the jaws of defeat for PeshawarZalmi over Lahore Qalanadars by occupying the crease until the last ballwas bowled.
The 44-year-old lifted Peshawar from a precarious 20 for five to anchor theinnings with an undefeated 55-ball 59 to help them chase down the 125-runtarget in 19.5 overs. He added 100 runs for the sixth wicket with35-year-old Daren Sammy who made a brilliant 36-ball 46.
Misbah said love, passion, discipline and determination were his assets.
“I think I always talked about love and passion of the game and if they arethere, you can go to any level,” said Misbah, whose team are now in theplay-offs with 12 points from eight matches.
“If these things are not there, then nothing can motivate you. I am stillenjoying the game and tough situations, and that’s why you are playingcricket at this age,” said Misbah. “The key is to play for the love andpassion and take challenges.”
Misbah said he featured in Grade-II cricket for Faisalabad earlier thisyear to keep himself ready for the HBL PSL.
“It depends on your determination, discipline and motivation that how faryou can push yourself. If I had not played first-class and Grade-II, thenit would have been difficult. Grade-II helped me as I was in the habit offielding long overs.
“When you play regularly, then you keep fitness and hunger.”
Misbah praised his bowlers, led by Tymal Mills (three for 29) and SameenGul (two for 17) to keep Lahore to 124 for seven in their 20 overs.
“Credit to our bowling that they restricted them to 124, so it waspossible. Our effort was to play till the 20 overs. If we were chasing 160or 170, then we would have played differently. That situation demanded adifferent approach and you must play as per the situation and for that youneed to have the basics right.
“You have to survive and stay at the crease and once you are settled, thenyou also have to hit out.”
Misbah said he was asked to thwart the danger posed by Nepalese spinnerSandeep Lamichannle.
“Lamichanne is a good bowler and has disturbed everyone in the PSL,” saidMisbah of the Qalandars’ spinner. “I was able to pick his googly well andthat was why I was played and stay there to counter his four overs.”
Misbah said bowling in the HBL PSL is the best among the leagues around theworld.
“I think if you look at the leagues around the world, then here we havebowlers dominating. That is because that our bowlers, group of bowlers isgood. Every team has a group of good set of five bowlers (in HBL PSL) andthe conditions are helpful for bowlers. Here you can only score after yousurvive. Unlike other leagues where you start hitting from the start.”
Misbah singled out Quetta pacer Mohammad Hasnain, Karachi’s Umer Khan andIslamabad’s Musa Khan as the finds of HBL PSL 4.
“If you look Mohammad Hasnain is good. We are getting good bowlers, but notgood batsmen. Hasnain is bowling at express pace, then Musa is good andspinner Umer Khan of Karachi is also very good and it is difficult to bowlat this stage.
“If you get two to three players, then it’s good for Pakistan cricket andonce they are groomed they reduce the gap of international cricket.”