The man, and his pose © AFP

Don’t bother looking at the umpire’s finger when Shahid Afridi takes a wicket, just watch the man himself. The instant Afridi strikes his star-man pose, fingers pointing to the heavens, cue pandemonium. Sharjah, scene of heroics from the revolutions of Javed Miandad’s bat and the bowling arms of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, has the boom of Mr Boom Boom to add to its legend. Afridi didn’t simply win the Man-of-the-Match award, he owned it.

As Sharjah’s cricket public revived the thumping atmosphere of bygone days, Pakistan’s players rekindled some past attributes. Spirit, an ancient virtue, was in evidence as Sarfraz Ahmed and Saeed Ajmal supported Afridi to pose a total of opportunity. Later that same spirit surged through the Pakistan team as Sri Lanka crumbled, losing seven wickets in the space of 19 runs. Pakistan’s bowlers were once masters of defending a low total just as the lower order was accustomed to fighting for every run. Those skills seemed lost but are beginning to return.

Here Afridi was an inspirational catalyst. First he coaxed his fellow batsmen to rally around him, as he produced one of those responsible efforts that leave you wondering why he doesn’t control himself more often, hitting through the line with effortless power. With the batting Powerplay and Ajmal for company, the moment seemed ripe for death or glory. Instead, Afridi worked the ball with good sense, rightfully trusting his partner, and launching himself when the ball merited it. This was an atypical Afridi assault, a sensible one, and it perplexed Sri Lanka.

Ajmal was a willing accomplice with bat - and he would later prove to be the same with the ball - nonchalantly stroking the Sri Lanka bowlers and flicking his head to demonstrate his self-belief. In any other match, a match not utterly dominated by Afridi’s personality, Ajmal would have been its most valuable player.

Under the dark Sharjah sky and blinding lights that had flummoxed Dilhara Fernando’s attempt to catch an Afridi missile, the star man shot through Sri Lanka’s innings with leg-breaks, googlies, off-breaks, and rocket-powered faster balls, inducing an ear-splitting ecstatic cacophony in the stadium as loud and frenzied as in any of its previous 200 ODIs.

Afridi’s return to international colours was always a formality; a return to heroics was far less predictable, especially with such measured thrill-making. One of the issues with Afridi has always been how to harness his ability, and on this evidence Mohsin Khan and Misbah-ul Haq may be on to something. Misbah has allowed the strong personalities in his team, like Afridi and Younis Khan, to flourish, demonstrate leadership, and take ownership. Misbah’s captaincy is shorn of ego, a maturity that has escaped Pakistan cricket for decades, perhaps since the time of Mushtaq Mohammad, and creates an environment for flair with responsibility.

Whatever the magic formula, Pakistan must stick to it, for despite a couple of areas that need strengthening in the starting XI Misbah’s team have developed a winning habit. Sri Lanka’s poor form has helped but Pakistan, especially the bowlers, have been hard to suppress at times.

A diligent team becomes dynamic when Afridi is roused and booming. When Afridi strikes the pose and the crowd roars its approval, any neutral venue would become a home away from home. For Pakistan, Sharjah has always felt like a second home. In those circumstances, when the stadium lights lit up, a night of magic should have been booming at us from the stars.

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Misbah-ul-Haq averages 80.81 since becoming Test captain © AFP

The question about Misbah-ul-Haq is why is there a question? Pakistan undefeated in a Test series since the shameful summer of 2010. Draws against South Africa and in the West Indies, away wins against New Zealand and Zimbabwe, and a ‘home’ success against Sri Lanka - a sequence of results that exceeds expectations. Misbah has the second-highest Test average for a captain after Don Bradman (minimum ten Tests). Why murmurings of discontent?

Some people are never happy. Others are only happy if Pakistan play a certain way: an aggressive, entertaining form of cricket that Pakistan’s returning talisman, Shahid Afridi, has taken to an extreme. The best form of defence is attack, said Imran Khan, and the mentality of Pakistan cricket was transformed.

Curiously, Misbah has resurrected the defensive outlook of Pakistan teams before Imran’s captaincy. It is a long step backwards and it feels unnatural. Pakistan turned down two borderline run chases in the recently concluded Test series against Sri Lanka. They batted slowly and set deep fields when they might have risked close-in fielders. In Sharjah, that defensive tack might have come unstuck had rain and bad light not intervened.

But it didn’t. Luck has sided with Misbah; every successful captain is indebted to good fortune. As unnatural as turgid defence feels, it is a necessary evil in this current life of Pakistan cricket. A period of stability was required to shake an image of predictable unpredictability. Misbah’s Pakistan are unpredictably predictable. It is a nasty medicine, a bitter taste, but improved results will rebuild confidence and respect.

The one-day series offers Misbah an opportunity to silence his critics and demonstrate his flexibility. His squad is packed with attacking cricketers, and the binary outcome of a limited-overs match must force Misbah to adopt a more positive outlook, surely? He might have an exasperating way of going about his job but Misbah, the king of dot balls, has played a valuable role in transforming the on-field fortunes of Pakistan cricket.

Questions about Misbah’s suitability for the captaincy will persist, the nature of the beast is at odds with the mood of the herd, but sport is a results business first and Misbah has them aplenty to support his case for caution. The next question is whether Misbah’s Pakistan develop a more expansive style once some stability and sanity has been restored?

All the best captains reinvent teams in their own image. The immediate image in my mind’s eye is of Misbah prodding forward, dot-balling to his heart’s content. I have other images too, swashbuckling almost reckless ones. This Misbah fellow might not be to everybody’s taste but he is tenacious and capable of surprise.

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Azhar Ali is the rock Pakistan need at No.3 © AFP

Is any cricketer bigger than Pakistan? Imran Khan, the man who came closest, held a political rally yesterday in front of Pakistan’s monument to liberty, Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore. Up to 200,000 people came to listen to Imran urge his country to return to the ideals of its founders. Whether or not you agree with Imran’s political views, you could never accuse him of believing himself to be bigger than his country.

At a time for noble deeds, some other Pakistan cricketers are awaiting the verdict of Southwark Crown Court in London. Their plight caricatures the ills of the cricketers who succeeded Imran as global ambassadors. If you could accuse any cricketers of considering themselves to be bigger than their country, it is the rogues who have tarnished the nation’s image while on ambassadorial duty.

Against this conflicting backdrop Mohsin Khan, once known as the Eagle and now Pakistan’s locum coach, reminded his troops that ‘no matter how big a player you are, you aren’t bigger than Pakistan.’ Be honest, responsible, perform your duty, and deliver your best, urged the Eagle. To his delight, Pakistan’s performance in the second Test against Sri Lanka was true to those sentiments. Misbah-ul Haq’s team seized an early initiative in Dubai, built on it, and finished the job without undue drama; an old-fashioned Test victory unfamiliar to Pakistan’s modern cricket fans.

Indeed, old-fashioned virtues were abundantly on display. Fast bowlers made crucial breakthroughs on the first day. Spinners expertly exploited helpful conditions in Sri Lanka’s second innings. The batsmen applied themselves for a first innings lead gained at under three runs per over. Even catches were taken. This was a Test match to savour for anybody who has been making the case for a touch more tedium in Pakistan’s cricket.

The lead comes from the captain. Misbah is a calm-sometimes-becalmed fellow, a stereotypical Test batsman whose personal performances have flourished with the responsibility of captaincy. For players who have captained more than twice, Misbah’s batting average is currently second only to Donald Bradman’s. Some solace for a man maligned for past high-profile defeats to India.

Pakistan’s batting order is populated with similarly pragmatic spirits, of whom Azhar Ali’s journey to a maiden Test century created the greatest thrills. Azhar is an unhurried batsman with a simple yet secure technique who picks the ball up early. His unstinting application at number three ensures one wicket doesn’t quickly become two. Azhar is a fighter—a trait much appreciated by Pakistan supporters—and he is the batting find of the last 18 months.

Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez have also been prominent in Pakistan’s resurgence since last year’s England tour. These players have performed their duty and delivered their best even before the Eagle launched into his coaching assignment with the same gusto that he used to launch into a cover drive.

Ajmal is a world class bowler. Hafeez, by contrast, has defied expectations to help shake his image as a bits-and-pieces cricketer. Pakistan cricket’s ‘professor’ has now begun to establish himself as a player of substance and maturity, best demonstrated by his aggressive approach to the second innings run chase.

Yes, Pakistan are a work in progress with legitimate questions about selection and strategy. This Sri Lanka team is less formidable than past opponents. However, consistent performances throughout this series suggest that Mohsin the Eagle has reasons to be cheerful.

But as expectant as an eagle might be, a professor would urge caution, for the plight of Pakistan cricket remains complex and precarious. In the same moment that the Test team celebrates a thumping Test victory in Dubai, six Pakistan cricketers lift a trophy in Hong Kong, two others face a jail sentence in London, and the country’s greatest captain spells out an agenda to save his nation from destruction in Lahore. Is this an exhilarating watershed? Is this is a devastating climax? This is Pakistan cricket: marvellous, mad, and mind-boggling.

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Misbah-ul-haq said he was satisfied with Pakistan's efforts in Abu Dhabi © AFP

Anybody in search of final day heroics was best advised to look away from the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Pakistan toiled in attack, Sri Lanka toiled in defence. The result wore down viewers, not least because Pakistan failed to take up a challenge created for the age of T20 cricket.

Misbah-ul Haq, Pakistan’s captain, said he was satisfied with his team’s efforts, extracting positives not negatives from the performance. Ironically, it was his own negativity that ended up being scrutinised; first Mohali, now this.

In fairness, Misbah has a point. Pakistan’s achievements in both first innings were impressive, especially Junaid Khan’s five wicket haul and Taufeeq Umar’s double hundred. Pakistan are troubled by the loss of Mohammad Amir; Junaid and Wahab Riaz are some solace. Pakistan have been troubled far longer by inconsistent openers; it is 19 years since a Pakistani opener, Amir Sohail, scored a double hundred.

Importantly, Pakistan dominated the Test until halfway into Sri Lanka’s second innings, an unexpected position since Misbah declined to bat first on a docile track. Yes, Pakistan might have scored faster, but had fielders held simple chances Pakistan would have won by an innings.

Misbah blames the catching difficulties on a lack of confidence. He might also wish to examine selection? On such tracks, fast bowlers and wrist spinners are essential to force a result. Aziz Cheema is a worthy trier but Wahab's extra pace poses a greater test to batsmen. Unfortunately, our chief-selector turned coach failed to find himself a wrist spinner for this series, although spinners of all varieties require support from fielders to succeed.

Since last year’s cursed tour of England, Pakistan have only lost one Test out of 8; they had lost 8 Tests in the previous year. Sri Lanka are difficult opponents, as Kumar Sangakkara proved with his rearguard double-hundred.

Despite the draw, then, Pakistan’s cricketers have stopped the rot of previous years and Misbah has played a valuable role. But he needs to be careful. Thus far, Misbah's words have been more positive than his team's performance. A negative approach—justified or not—tends to sit uncomfortably with the Pakistani psyche.

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