Pakistan demand respect from cricket world
Shahid Hashmi
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq on Sunday said he hoped his team's
series win over test cricket's number one side England will earn them
respect from the cricketing world after a turbulent period which
tarnished their image.
Dogged by off-the-field problems like failed dope tests and lack of
discipline, Pakistan cricket hit the lowest ebb on their 2010 tour of
England when three of their top players were caught in a spot-fixing
scandal. The then Test captain Salman Butt and pacemen Mohammad Asif and
Mohammad Aamer were banned for conniving over the bowlers deliberately
bowling no-balls during the Lord's Test against England, and getting
paid for that by agent Mazhar Majeed. Last November all three and Majeed
were sentenced to prison terms by an English court. But since the
scandal, Pakistan have fared well both on and off the field under an
astute captain Misbah.
Pakistan beat England by 72 runs in the second Test to take an
unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, their fourth series win
on the trot and eighth win in 14 Tests under Misbah, who took over two
months after the scandal.
And Pakistan's resurgence, Misbah feels should earn them respect. "I
think the whole world should acknowledge and accept that Pakistan
cricket is coming up, the way our players are performing and they should
accept it. Such (negative) things can happen anywhere and we must forget
them," said Misbah. Misbah, 37, stressed his team will build further on
the success against England. "We have put everything behind us," said
Misbah, who has led from the front hitting 12 fifties as captain. "I
think whichever team is doing well it should be accepted, our team
deserves that and with the self confidence we have, we can do better."
Coach Mohsin Khan, who rather unluckily will be replaced by former
Australian batsman Dav Whamore after the series, said these are good
days to relish after the bad times.
"I definitely agree with Misbah, we deserve more respect for the
performances we have put together," said Khan, a former opener.
AFP |