Why hate Misbah?!

Hate Misbah Hate, Curse Misbah Curse

Honestly speaking I am sick and fed up of people criticizing Misbah and people are sick and fed up of me defending Misbah.

"I don't have any problem with people criticizing Misbah but my issue is why to single out? Before criticizing Misbah criticize the top order batsmen"

Misbah is not my favorite batsman, he's not even in my best XI team; he is not Inzi, he is not Javed Miandad, he is not a world class act. But I cannot deny the importance of Misbah in current Pakistan ODI and Test side.

I don't think he deserves to be in T-20 squad; so there's no argument over it.

Misbah is in its supreme touch in test cricket; he is on the peak of his test career. And I don't think any sensible person would discard him from test squad.

Now the question arises, Whether he should be in ODI team or not?

Also known as, Mr. Tuk Tuk, is severely criticized ever since Pakistan lost WC semi final against India. People believe that Misbah do nothing but tuk tuk. He doesn't like scoring runs and bla bla bla.

For me Misbah is the automatic selection for ODIs and I seriously disagree to people's perception that he doesn't like scoring runs. I am going to mention some of Misbah's worst and best strike rates and its reasons:

• 2nd ODI in recently concluded series against England; Misbah scored 47 with strike rate of 79.66. Pakistan were 142 for 4 when Misbah came to bat and soon it became 217 for 7; Misbah tried to take the game till the end, unfortunately Pakistan Lost! No contribution by U.Akmal or Afridi.
  
  
• 4th ODI in recently concluded against England; Misbah scored 46 with strike rate of 88;
  Reason: Pakistan were 144 for 4 when Misbah played a similar innings and tried to give Pakistan a decent score. He was the 9th batsman to get out.
  
  
• Pakistan v Bangladesh - 3rd ODI; Misbah scored 47 with strike rate of 52.80.
  Reason: Pakistan were 39 for 3 when Misbah came into bat.
  
  
• Pakistan v Bangladesh - 2nd ODI; Misbah scored 37 with strike rate of 67.27.
  Reason: Pakistan were 93 for 3 when Misbah came to bat.
  
  
• Pakistan v Bangladesh - 1st ODI; Chasing 91 - Pakistan were down 42 for 3 when Misbah scored match winning 16 with strike rate of 34.78
  
  
• Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Nov 2011, Misbah scored 66 runs with strike rate of 66.
  Reason: Misbah came to bat 51 for 2; lil while later Younis departed followed by next ball duck of Shoaib Malik making it 113 for 4.
  
  
• Pakistan v West Indies; April 28th 2011, Misbah scored 62 with an average of just 56.88 when chasing a total of 171;
  Reason - 12 for 3 when Misbah came into bat and lil while later Umar Akmal depart making it 49 for 4. Misbah played a match winning knock and was given mom award.
  
  
• Pakistan v West Indies; April 25th 2011, Misbah played a useful 43 with a strike rate of 100;
  Reason - 132 for 2 when Misbah came to bat.
  
  
• Pakistan v West Indies; April 23rd 2011, another useful knock of Misbah of 73 with strike rate of 81.11;
  Reason - 82 for 2 and no wicket fell after that Misbah and Shafiq guided Pakistan home
  
  
• THE INFAMOUS SEMIFINAL - INDO-PAK
  chasing 260 runs; Pakistan were 106 for 4 when Misbah came to bat, 142 for 5, 150 for 6, 184 for 7.
  
  Misbah's strike rate - 73.68
  Hafeez's strike rate - 72.88
  Shafiq's strike rate - 76.92
  Younis Khan's strike rate - 40.62
  Razzaq's strike rate - 33
  Umar Akmal's strike rate - 120
  Afridi's strike rate - 111
  
  (Misbah scored 56 and combined Afridi n U.Akmal scored 48 runs)
  
  Despite continuous criticism people didn't realize that Misbah's strike rate was the par strike rate in that inning.
  
  Had Misbah scored 0 in that innings and didn't show fighting spirit - Pakistan would have lost by at least 85 runs and all out in 38 overs.
  
  Earlier in the World Cup
  
  
• Misbah scored 83 against Sri Lanka with a strike rate of 91.20;
  Reason: Pakistan were 105 for 3 and then Younis Khan and Misbah scored a partnership of 108 runs.
  
  Before World Cup Pakistan toured NZ
  
  
• In first ODI Misbah scored 50 with Strike Rate of 56;
  Reason: Pakistan were 29 for 3 and 97 for 7; Misbah was the last man to get out.
  
  
• In fourth ODI (same series) Misbah scored 93 with strike rate of 102.19
  Reason: Pakistan were 84 for 3 and next wicket fall for 173 for 4

If you focus, every time Misbah had a strike rate of below 75 it is purely because of disastrous top order failure. One will have to understand the limitations of Misbah; he cannot bat fluently under pressure and maybe not good enough to anchor the innings; but this doesn't mean that he is not a utility in the batting line up.