Younis and Misbah Bow Out

The bald details of the Third Test at Roseau state that Pakistan beat the West Indies by 101 runs, the Man of the Match being Roston Chase. Yet Pakistan may as well have been playing Merthyr Tydfil Seconds such was the intense focus on just two individuals.

In a match when the two finest Pakistani batsmen of the past decade both departed Test cricket, the result of the game was of secondary importance. Not to proud skipper Misbah ul-Haq or the venerable run machine, Younis Khan, of course. To them, a victory and series win would signify job done.

There have been a lot of jobs done in recent years. In the last four years, Pakistan have lost just three series – in Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand – out of fourteen, and it’s a shame that much of their success has come under the radar. The dominance of India on and off the pitch, and the UK media’s obsession with the Ashes at the exclusion of all other cricket, have contributed, and then there has been the enforced ban on internationals on home soil as a result of a bunch of idiotic terrorists.

Then there was the ignominy of seeing their former captain and two of his young protégés sent to jail for match-fixing which put the whole nation in the global sporting doghouse. Ironically it was that crime which enabled Misbah in 2010 to finally meet his destiny and lead the side his talents had long merited.

He retires just a few weeks short of his 43rd birthday having led Pakistan to more victories than anyone before him, having been rejected many years ago for being too old! What seemed to count against him, despite prolific seasons in domestic cricket, was that he didn’t make his first-class debut until the age of 24. He was picked back in 2001 to play in Auckland, making little impact in a win fashioned largely by a second innings century by a certain Younis Khan and the bowling of Mohammad Sami and Saqlain Mushtaq.

Only four more appearances came in the next six years but he came good with the bat against India in late 2007. In his first 19 Tests, he averaged a mediocre 33 but since assuming the captaincy his average has leapt to 51. He hasn’t smashed loads of centuries but those invaluable 50s have come in mighty handy. Furthermore it’s been his nous and experience as leader which have dragged Pakistani cricket from the gutter to challengers in all forms of cricket. He was no slouch in limited overs either, although it was a shame his final innings should end with such an ugly slog sweep.

Younis’s career also finished with a mistimed sweep but he leaves with just about every Pakistan Test batting record to his name. Earlier in the series he became the first man from his country to reach 10,000 Test runs, although his last three-figure score was his 175 not out at the SCG in January. He was one of the very few players in the world to have converted most of his 50s into hundreds. His world-class average of 52 is superior to that of giants such as Border, Ponting, Gavaskar and Richards.

While his career wasn’t without controversy, occasional ill-discipline and disputes with officials and management, it is telling that Younis Khan commands considerable respect not only in Pakistan but across the cricketing world. He may not boast the swashbuckling charisma of Javed Miandad, the weight (in more ways than one) of Inzamam, the political smarm of Imran Khan or the ego of Shahid Afridi but Younis has been a shining example for any youngster looking to bat with traditional virtues such as patience, shot selection and cool-headedness. Maybe too inward-looking to be a successful skipper, Younis has nevertheless been the rock in Pakistan’s middle-order. His partnerships with Misbah were so vital to the team’s rise up the Test rankings. OK, so he was hardly a giant of the 50- or 20-over game, but Pakistan’s batting will surely suffer in his absence. With Misbah gone, too, the hole begins to resemble a deep crater.

But that is not their problem. It’s the PCB’s. Instead we should celebrate the massive contributions to Pakistan cricket made by this pair of batsmen over the past two decades.

Smith and Warner lead Aussies to another Pakistan Whitewash

In Test cricket, fortunes can change quickly. Last winter, Australia beat the West Indies and New Zealand before coming a cropper at home to South Africa in November. Meanwhile, Pakistan briefly topped the ICC rankings after the England tour, maintained the momentum with a 2-1 series success over the Windies in the desert but lost it all again in New Zealand.

So there was a lot at stake in the Australia-Pakistan encounters over the past month or so. Would the Aussie pacemen make the most of quick pitches or could the Pakistani veteran batsmen galvanise the tourists? The answer was neither. It was very much a series for the batsmen. In the three matches, there were ten centuries and no fewer than eight individuals averaged more than 50. With the ball, only Josh Hazelwood averaged under 25, while his 15-wicket aggregate took him past the century for his career so far.

The series caught light on the last day of the Brisbane opener. After Steve Smith declared 489 ahead, a crushing defeat for Pakistan was the likely outcome. However, Azhar Ali and Younis Khan weren’t to be cowed, then Asad Shafiq brilliantly shepherded the tail past 300, past 400,… Could a new world record be achieved? Not on this occasion, but the amazing effort took Pakistan to 450, just 39 short.

Only two sides had ever scored more in the fourth innings, and all sorts of records were broken at The Gabba. One which did hold was Australia’s long unbeaten sequence, now extended to 28.

At the MCG, Pakistan again passed 400, helped by an unbeaten 205 from opener Azhar Ali. However, David Warner’s run-a-ball 144, Steve Smith’s third consecutive Boxing Day Test century, Khawaja’s 97 and a late blast from Mitchell Starc established another handsome first innings lead. There was to be no repeat of the Gabba fightback as Starc and spinner Nathan Lyon nabbed seven cheap wickets to pull off an innings victory.

On to Sydney at the start of 2017. And what a star it was for David Warner. His century before lunch on day one was the first in Test cricket for more than 30 years, even outshining Matt Renshaw’s substantial debut hundred and Peter Handscomb’s second in three games. In response, Younis Khan’s 175 not out was his 34th three-figure score, keeping Pakistan in with a shout. A fourth day batting blitz set up another huge target and, despite a series-best 38 from skipper Misbah and a quick 72 not out from Sarfraz, it proved far too much.

And so Australia could enjoy a fourth successive 3-0 whitewash at home to Pakistan. Question marks have been raised against Misbah’s captaincy. Understandable given the series result and his own mediocre form. Nevertheless, he has been magnificent for his country in recent years. If he chooses to retire at 42, nobody would blame him. On the other hand, it would be unfair to hound him out based on one lost series in a land where they haven’t won for decades.

The Aussies can reflect proudly on a great all-round display, with runs down the order and wickets well distributed across the attack. Smith and Warner are at the top of their game, and it was an encouraging series for new boys Renshaw and Handscomb. If they can hang on to their bowlers longer than South Africa, they may yet in the next 18 months challenge India for the ceremonial mace.

Pakistan on top of the world

Congratulations to Pakistan for assuming the official number one spot in Test cricket. The ICC rankings havet been around for only 13 years but I can’t recall a time when the nation were so prominent that they could have been unofficial Test worldbeaters, not even in the days of Imran Khan, Zaheer Abbas , Waqar Younis or Wasim Akram, Those pesky Aussies or West Indians were usually that bit more successful. Maybe in the late Eighties when Viv’s Caribbean cavaliers were losing their lustre and prior to Steve Waugh’s star men were coming together.

Mind you, I used the word ‘prominent’ rather than ‘dominant’ deliberately. Pakistan seemed to have risen up the rankings so far under the radar as to be flying at sea level. It wouldn’t have happened without Australia’s spectacular collapses against Sri Lanka, or the waterlogged outfield fiasco this week in Trinidad, where India were expected to put the Windies to the sword yet again. Nor of course had England dismissed Younis Khan much earlier in the Oval Test the other week and not allowed Pakistan to draw the series.

All ifs and buts. Just three points separate the top four nations so it could be all change come the winter, but let’s allow Pakistan the time to enjoy holding the ceremonial mace, because they have deserved it. The doubters point to the side’s inability to win in Australia or South Africa. But then ALL of Pakistan’s series are away; they haven’t been allowed to host a series for six years, and through no fault of the PCB.

That is also partly the reason they have played only six series in two years, while England, Australia et al are all cricketed out. Yet of those six, Pakistan have won four and drawn two, defeating England, Australia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh while giving the New Zealanders a run for their money in the desert.

So how have they achieved this historic rise? After the humiliation of the sordid match-fixing affair which led the captain and star bowlers to be not only banned but imprisoned, it looked hard to see Pakistan covering for years. However, Misbah-ul-Haq’s promotion to skipper has been the masterstroke. While his fellow batsmen have struggled for consistency, he and Younis have kept the runs flowing while their blend of seamers and spinners have done plenty of damage with the ball.

In the last eight series, spanning 22 matches, Younis has not averaged less than 48, and his career Test average remains stubbornly above 53. He is also a rarity in that he converts more than half his fifties into centuries and, as England re-discovered this month, is not averse to turning mere centuries into doubles. He is now 38, but his leader is more than three years his senior.

Misbah’s Test career started not long after Younis’s, but he has played a mere 65 matches. Apart from a sensational series against India in 2007, his batting seems to have improved since assuming the captaincy, and is always reliable. He managed just the one century in England this summer but what a vital one it was.

Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq and ‘keeper Sarfraz Ahmed often chip in, too, while the likes of Junaid Khan, Sohail Khan and Wahab Riaz have often stuck to their guns with pace and skill. Losing their ace slowie Saeed Ajmal to the bent elbow police (probably with justification) must have been a blow but they merely introduced another enthusiastic 30-something spinner in Yasir Shah.

Misbah and the PCB have made some great strategic decisions, and Misbah knows how to win. He has even been brave enough to drop the veteran opener Mohammad Hafeez for the Oval, and of course they won with ease.

I don’t know how much importance the fan back home attach to the number one Test status. After all, they languish a paltry ninth in ODIs and not much better in T20 internationals, where New Zealand currently rule the roost. However, I hope it really does mean something because it is quite an achievement. India are either second or third in all formats so their old rivals should revel in being ahead in the five-day game.

Personally I look forward to seeing Pakistan play England in the fifth one-dayer in Cardiff next month. It’ll be the first time I’ve watched a Pakistani side in the flesh since Imran’s team came to Chelmsford twenty-five decades ago and Saeed Anwar stroked a sublime hundred. It would be nice to see Misbah’s team of youth and experience give England an exciting contest, hopefully to decide the series.

Pakistan v England 2nd Test July 2016

Well, all credit to England. After being Misbah-ed and Yasir-ed at Lord’s, they bounced back in the most emphatic style possible, levelling the series with a 330-run victory at Old Trafford.

Chris Woakes was once again England’s leading wicket-taker, but Jimmy Anderson produced some useful spells on his home turf. Pakistan’s batsmen struggled again, with only Misbah passing 50, putting the innings of Alastair Cook and the formidable Joe Root into context.

The pair shared a 185-run second-wicket partnership, but Root went on to be part of two other century stands, with Woakes and Jonny Bairstow. Root’s ability to score just about anywhere, off and leg, punches, pulls, drives and cuts, has always been impressive. In my book, he is as complete a batsmen as anyone one in the modern game, including AB De Villiers, Virat Kohli and Steve Smith.

Root even inspired his captain to up his scoring rate to 60+ in the first innings, his 105 runs including fifteen boundaries. That’s only 12 fewer than Root managed in his career-best 254. Then in the second innings they added another 105 together in barely 14 overs as they raced to declare 565 runs ahead. Cook was criticised for not enforcing the follow-on but the result justified the decision in spades. If the weather forecast had been bad, then of course the decision would have been different. However, I suspect the result would have been the same.

Yasir Shah’s Lord’s magic was well and truly negated, and his 63 overs went for 266 runs. His only wicket was that of Woakes on day two. For all England’s dominance, there still remain question marks over Hales, Ballance and Vince, who are all finding it hard to get beyond a decent 20 or 30. No problem with fielding, and all but three of the twenty Pakistan wickets were catches.

And should Jonny Bairstow cede the ‘keeper’s gloves? Why? Jos Buttler is no better behind the stumps and a poorer red-ball batsman. Billings is a 20-over thrash specialist while Essex’s James Foster is probably too old to be considered by the current selector set-up.

Anyway, apart from the injured Ben Stokes, I certainly don’t blame England for retaining the same squad for the Third Test. Woakes will fancy his chances at Edgbaston where he has picked up 300-odd wickets for Warwickshire. Steve Finn did well on the same ground last summer so he must be favourite to play, unless they go for a twin spin option in the form of Adil Rashid.

Whatever the final XI, I can’t see Pakistan coming back from such a heavy defeat, unless their seam attack or Yasir find a way to dismiss Root early and their openers to survive Anderson and Broad for a change. I believe Stokes’ absence is no big deal. The swear box may be emptier as a result but England should still win on the pitch.

Yasir, he can Googly!

Well, I didn't see that coming! After England flattened Sri Lanka more effectively than the Lord's roller, the long-awaited return of Pakistan was meant to cement England's growing reputation in all forms of cricket. After the football team's humiliation against Iceland, surely there would be no embarrassment at the hands of a side captained by a 42 year-old yet at risk of being cleaved apart by the inclusion of a convicted cheat.

In the end, the return from the six-year wilderness of Mohammad Amir was a mere sideshow. Had his close-catching colleagues been less prone to fumbles, Amir would have had more wickets and the doubters - me included - would have had something to complain about. In the end, it was a cracking Test match. There were no five-an-over innings full of Twenty20 cameos. There were some entertaining innings, but for once the mix of spin and reverse swing tipped the balance away from the batsmen.

Yasir Shah is 30, playing only his second first-class match of the year. Yet his exuberant ten-wicket performance lit up not only Pakistan but the whole of Lord's. And he wasn't even the top wicket-taker! That claim belongs to Chris Woakes. I've long been a fan of Woakesy. He's been taking wickets and clouting runs for Warwickshire for several seasons yet seems to be written off by many. He's too slow, too predictable, not aggressive enough. Rubbish! I thnk what such critics mean is that he isn't a bristling, snarling sledger like Anderson, Broad and Stokes.


Test match figures of 11-102, including two five-fors, show that Woakes is no domestic trundle, even though he struggled in his prevous outings. He wouldn't even have played had Stokes' fitness been in doubt. England selectors now have a problem given that Stokes is back in the squad for Old Trafford, as is Adil Rashid and the recovered Anderson. Surely they can't omit Woakes? By keeping faith with Finn, does that mean he must play?


As for the batters, they had their moments. Vince played a decent second innings, as did Balance. However, it was the old guard who shone brightest. Alastair Cook became the most prolific Test opener in history in scoring 82, Younis Khan added to his considerable middle-order tally but the main plaudits went to Misbah-ul-Haq.

The captain has done so much to bring Pakistan back into the international fold, on and off the pitch, following the spot-fixing scandal six years ago. His unflappable temperament has helped no end, and he can still bat better than anyone. His first Lord's century on day one deserved the warm applause, and his amusing celebration of salute and press-ups endeared him to spectators even more.


The joyous reaction of the whole team, with the display of (almost) synchronised saluting and press-ups before their fans was a welcome sight, but not for England. They now have to regroup and hope that Anderson can reproduce the form he showed against Sri Lanka, and Root can deliver centuries again.

Pakistan's Superior Spin Proves too much for England

After two tense, close contests, Pakistan ran away with the third to clinch the series 2-0. As predicted in my last blog, the Test match was decided by the superiority of the ‘home’ side’s spin attack against England’s.

With Buttler dropped, James Taylor beefed up the batting and Samit Patel offered a third spin option. However, while slow bowlers totally dominated the India v South Africa encounter at Mohali, they didn’t have it all their own way at Sharjah. On the first day, Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad conceded just 30 runs in 28 overs, while Patel, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid went for almost four an over. Only Misbah-ul-Haq and Sarfraz Ahmed took charge and helped Pakistan past 200.

In reply, five England players reached 40 but Taylor was alone in passing 50, taking the team to a first innings lead of 72. It would have been more had it not been for Shoaib Malik’s three late wickets, including that of the injured Ben Stokes. However, they could not ram home their advantage.

Mohammad Hafeez survived an early scare and went on to an impressive 151. Stokes was out of action but England’s two seamers were once more in superb form. Nevertheless they can’t bowl continuously in the UAE heat, and the spinners again looked the weakest link.

Pakistan raced away to a lead of 283, a not impossible target in normal circumstances. However, in Sharjah, Yasir Shah, Malik and Zulfiqur Babar made few mistakes, maintain the pressure and grinding England down. Alastair Cook did his best, outlasting eight of his team-mates in an innings of 63 runs and four hours. England were destroyed in five overs, when the middle-order were sent packing for only 11 runs. Three of them fell LBW, bamboozled by the spin of Babar and Shah, and the series was lost on the final afternoon.

Only Cook, England’s only centurion, Anderson and Broad emerged with much credit from the series. The captain’s massive 263 at Abu Dhabi was almost as many as the second highest scorer, Joe Root, managed in all six attempts. Anderson’s 13 victims came at just 15 apiece and at a phenomenal economy rate of 1.87. Normally you might expect spinners to frustrate batsmen, but the England seamers did their best. Unfortunately, Ali and Rashid showed that, despite the coaching of Shane Warne, they aren’t yet the real deal.

Yasir Shah definitely is and across the series he was the prime difference between the two well-matched teams. Five Pakistan batsmen struck hundreds and averaged 48 or more, demonstrating how to cope with slow bowling at this level. Younis and Misbah surely can’t have many more Tests in them, and Shoaib has already announced his retirement. As with Sri Lanka, Pakistan need to find young batting talent if they are to threaten the other top nations in five-day cricket.

As for England, all is not lost for their forthcoming trip to South Africa. Nevertheless, much rests on the fitness of Broad and Anderson. I’m not sure whether Moeen Ali is the right opening partner for Cook in Tests. However, neither is Alex Hales. Both are excellent one-day openers and England’s squad is looking like a converted ODI outfit; too many all-rounders, not enough specialists. Most other countries are similar; it’s the new era of cricket.

I think that with some work Bairstow could become a top ‘keeper-batsman, much as Alec Stewart was a few decades ago. Buttler has never done much in first-class cricket, not even for Somerset. I like Taylor, Root and, for all his recent travails, Ian Bell. Graeme Swann is badly missed, but world-class spinners are a rarity. Anywhere in the world. Wood and Jordan are OK but unlikely to scare the likes of Amla or De Villiers. On the other hand, South Africa are short of good spinners, too, so we could be in for another competitive series.

Pakistan in the driving seat

Last week, England felt cheated of victory by bad light. This time in Dubai they were barely six overs from securing a very unlikely draw before Pakistan’s attacking field yielded the final wicket. Both matches have provided exciting finales, but it was the second which gave us consistently good cricket.

After a shaky start on the first morning, Pakistan’s middle-order did their job. Something you can’t say of England’s! Captain Misbah ul-Haq shared stands of 93 with Younis Khan and 104 with Asad Shafiq before Moeen Ali and Mark Wood kept the total below 400. England’s reply was a very staccato affair. Ali and Bell struggled again, then Alastair Cook and the redoubtable Joe Root put on 113, playing the pace of man-of-the-match Wahab Riaz and spin of Yasir Shah with much-needed patience.

However, once Root nicked to the ‘keeper, the last six wickets tumbled for only 36 runs. Pakistan’s second innings again survived two early departures. This time, Younis showed why he remains one of the best Test batsmen of his generation, progressing to his 31st century and passing 9,000 runs. Misbah’s late-flowering career continued with another fine display, scoring 87, while Shafiq provided more sterling support. The declaration left England a day and a half to achieve a world record target or, barely more likely, bat for a draw.

They really needed Cook on his A-game but the heat and dust had taken its toll. Bell scratched around for 48, Root passed 50 yet again, but Bairstow, Stokes and the hapless Jos Buttler failed miserably. An early end looked inevitable, but Adil Rashid is no pushover with the bat. Bowling figures of 2-191 were poor, but his application against Shah and Babar put his colleagues to shame. Broad tried to hit out, falling to a brilliant fast yorker, but Wood stuck it out for two hours, a great effort. Rashid’s innings lasted twice as long for 61. The number of runs wasn’t important; the number of overs survived was. However, with the finishing line in sight, the Yorkshireman chose the wrong ball to drive past the close cordon and was caught by Babar.

It was one of the longest second innings ending in defeat ever played in Asia, demonstrating that with the right amount of skill and sense of when to play and when to leave, Pakistan can be kept at bay in the UAE. Unfortunately for England, only Root, Rashid and tailender Wood had what was needed.

Pakistan now have the added incentive of winning the final Test, not only to take the series but also to advance to second in the ICC rankings. Not bad for a side unable to play on home pitches. However, they will need some fine young blood to succeed Younis (aged 37) and Misbah (41) if they are to hold on to that status for any length of time.

As for England, selection for the 3rd Test and, arguably more importantly, the South Africa tour, must be tricky. It was interesting to watch a Sky TV discussion yesterday in which nobody could agree on what should happen next. Ali has not proved a capable partner for Cook, Buttler can’t bat at all, and Stokes, Bell and Bairstow are all struggling. Replacement options are few. Bairstow could take the gloves from Buttler, although his ‘keeping is not as good. Ali could drop back down the order to give Hales his chance, and James Taylor deserves a position at, say, five or six in place of Stokes. Titanic, rearranging and deckchairs spring to mind! The type of pitch in Sharjah will be crucial. I can’t believe it won’t be spin-friendly, in which case both Rashid and Ali will play. However fine they are with the willow, they are nowhere near as potent as Pakistan’s slow bowlers, and Pakistan must be favourites for another series win.

Pakistan pack a Punch

Pakistan have not only enjoyed an exciting series win in Sri Lanka but, largely under the radar, attained the status of number three in the ICC Test rankings. Once the home nation levelled the series at Colombo, you would be forgiven for thinking that Pakistan would have folded in the Pallekele finale. Indeed, when Angelo Mathews stuck around to extend Sri Lanka’s lead to 376, the visitors were in unknown territory in relation to their target.

But Pakistan have Younis Khan. He and Azhar Ali have been in fantastic form in the past few years. Their avalanche of runs, with the added contribution of skipper Misbah-ul-Haq, simply swept the Aussies away in the UAE last year. They then drew 1-1 with New Zealand and the centuries continued to stack up in the series victory over Bangladesh. Azhar Ali and Mohammed Hafeez both passed 200 in an innings and the opposition bowlers must have grown tired of facing them.

Nevertheless, Pakistan were struggling at 13-2 before opener Shan Masood was joined by Younis. With almost two days remaining, they could easily have dug in to grind out the runs. They didn’t, and by stumps on the fourth day, they were 230-2, both batsmen having reached three figures. Surely they couldn’t pull off Pakistan’s highest ever run chase?

Shan was stumped off Kaushal on 125 but Misbah’s arrival made no difference to the momentum. Younis Khan moved serenely on to 171 and Misbah clinched the match and the series with a six. What a game, what a series and what a load of records were achieved on that final day!

It was Younis’ seventh hundred in the past year, and the highest fourth innings score by a Pakistani in their history. He is unusual in that when he hits 50, more often than not he proceeds all the way to 100. Furthermore, only once before have two Pakistan batsmen hit hundreds in a fourth innings of a Test

So far I’ve only mentioned the batsmen, yet it was a bowler who was named Player of the Series, and deservedly so. Junaid Khan and Wahab Riaz get most of the plaudits and Saeed Ajmal is twirling for Worcestershire instead of for Pakistan. So it may be a surprise that, in three matches, it was Yasir Shah who claimed an impressive 24 wickets. That included a 7-76, 6-96 and 5-78, and he not only took more wickets than anybody else, but had the lowest average and economy rate.

Still without a home series, it’s great to see Pakistan up there, with New Zealand threatening the big two, Australia and South Africa. Test cricket is not all about the Ashes and batting isn’t solely the reserve of Cook, Smith, Clarke and Root. Younis Khan deserves to be considered amongst the modern greats alongside Kallis, Ponting, Chanderpaul and Tendulkar, and Misbah as one of the leading captains.

Pakistan triumphant!

After last week's soggy defeat to Pakistan, I expected more of a fight by Australia. So what happened? They suffered a third heaviest drubbing in their entire Test history. Michael Clarke's men were beaten in every single department and the numerical margin of 356 runs tells only half the story.

I don't know how much of this was down to poor performances by the tourists but Pakistan seemed to have been playing with a new-found spirit and confidence they have so often been lacking. All that pent-up frustration was taken out on the number two side in the world in extraordinary fashion. This was epitomised by Misbah-ul-Haq. The skipper, well into his 41st year, has long had a reputation of being a solid, snore-inducing Test batsman, with s atrike rate barely above 40. So how did the spirit of a young Shahid Afridi suddenly occupy his body on the fourth day?

True, he was looking to rack up quick runs to set an impossible final innings target but he went on to equal the world record for a Test century, reaching three figures in 57 balls, including five sixes. Remember this was no makeshift bowling attack but one featuring Johnson, Starc and Siddle. With partner Azhar Ali also making 100 not out, the lead extended to a ludicrous 603! The more amazing statistic is that those two had also each scored hundreds in the first innings, a feat last achieved by a Pakistan batsman - just a week earlier! That was Younis Khan, who proceeded to follow that by striking 213 in the first innings of this match, sharing two stands of more than 180 in the process. Being dismissed second time out for a mere 46 must have seemed a miserable anticlimax were it not for the blazing antics of Misbah immediately afterwards.

But it's not batsmen who win matches on their own. Pakistan still had to take twenty wickets again but their spin attack once more made Nathan Lyon and part-timers Smith, Clarke and Maxwell look woefully inadequate on the Abu Dhabi wicket. In the match Lyon took 1-202 in 55 overs while Zulfiqar Babar finished with 7-214, Yasir Shah 5-91 and Mohammad Hafeez 3-51, while the seamers also chipped in with a few. Pakistan didn't even need their second innings fireworks as their first innings total proved more than enough to outstrip Australia's two efforts.

Chris Rogers was the only complete failure but only David Warner, Mitch Marsh and Steve Smith passed 50 at least once. Brad Haddin's winces were probably the result of his damaged shoulder but they could easily have been the response to seeing a once-formidable outfit taken to the cleaners so emphatically.

In addition to claiming a first series win over Australia for decades, Pakistan leap up to third in the ICC rankings. The Aussies remain one place ahead but a glance further down the table sees India stumbling to six, a whisker ahead of New Zealand. How quickly fortunes can change. Can Clarke and Cricket Australia comfort themselves with the notion of the World Cup being a whole new ball game? Perhaps. But if Pakistan and the mighty Misbah can bring the spirit of UAE with them Down Under next year, Saeed Ajmal or not, they could have a genuine chance of success in the 50-over tournament.

Pakistan off to a flyer in Dubai

There's been a lot of water under the bridge - and a lot of prison time served - since the last time Pakistan met Australia in a Test match. That came at Headingley when a side captained by Salman Butt and featuring other fine, upstanding cricketers like Danish Keneria, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir upset Ricky Ponting's tourists by three wickets. That was Pakistan's first win against these opponents since November 1995 and ended a sequence of thirteen consecutive defeats.

This week, Misbah-ul-Haq's men came to their adopted cricketing home of Dubai to face the number two side in the world - and enjoyed a convincing 221-run victory. Maybe it was the debut of someone called Imran Khan which evoked the spirit of probably Pakistan's greatest ever captain and all-rounder, but it was a useful combination of batting and bowling which did for an out-of-sorts Australia.

Michael Clarke had a miserable time on his return to the big time but Mitchell Johnson and David Warner did at least show some fight. Johnson and Siddle removed both Pakistan's openers for seven and Azhar Ali and Younis Khan had to knuckle down and rebuild the innings. Fortunately for them, they succeeded, laying the foundations for Misbah and Asad Shafiq to consolidate and then Sarfraz Ahmed to biff a run-a-ball century. Lyon and Smith took a pasting but credit to Johnson. His first-innings figures of 31-18-39-3 were astonishing for a strike bowler.

David Warner scored his ninth Test hundred in response but nobody else reached 40 as the Aussies subsided to 303 all out, 151 runs behind. Pakistan compounded their misery by declaring on 286-2 after Ahmed Shehzad and then Younis Khan reached three figures, the latter for the second time in the match. Zulfiqar Babar (aged 35 yet in only his third Test) and new boy Yasir Shah spun their side to victory on the final day, with only Smith and Johnson making 50. What Saeed Ajmal would have done we'll never know but Australia's spin duo of Steve O'Keefe (another debutant) and Nathan Lyon certainly struggled to extract the same from the pitch as the Pakistani twosome.

Clarke and Alex Doolan contributed only ten runs from their four attempts while Mitchell Marsh's red-ball debut in the green cap didn't exactly set the world alight. The Aussies need to restore their form in Tests quickly if they are to topple South Africa from their perch. Meanwhile, it's looking good for Misbah-ul-Haq. Another win next week would give them three in a row against Australia for the first time in more than three decades, in the era of Imran, Abdul Qadir, Zaheer Abbas and Javed Miandad. It will also mean a first series win since crushing England in the Middle East three years ago. Misbah is 40 now but, with Younis Khan's solid middle-order batting, he has done well to bring Pakistani cricket back into the fold. This may be a Test series but a defeat of Australia will bring renewed confidence going into the winter and the 2015 World Cup.

Magician Misbah pulls Victory out of the Hat!

Yesterday I wrote about two very different all-rounders, including the new super-patient Test batsman that is Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews. Today, that caution proved his side's downfall as yet again they chucked away a series they seemed sure to win following their emphatic nine-wicket win at Dubai International.

In Sharjah, Mathews won the toss and batted stolidly for almost two days for only 428-9 declared. It was like the 1970s all over again, with two Pakistan spinners twirling away for more than 50 overs apiece, each with an economy rate of barely two. Ahmed Shehzad's century helped his side post a competitive reply before Sri Lanka battened down the hatches again for an excruciating 101 overs. Declaring on the final afternoon, Angelo must have believed Pakistan wouldn't attempt what would have been for them a near-record fourth innings run chase of 302 in a maximum 59 overs. On a spinners' wicket, too. He was wrong...

The openers set off in ODI mode but at 48-2, there was still a lot to do. Azhar Ali compiled an excellent hundred, albeit containing only six boundaries. The strokes came instead from Sarfraz Ahmed and the redoubtable skipper Misbah-ul-Haq. Seamer Lakmal (Test average now over 53!) and spinner Herath came in for a pasting while Ali held firm at the other end. Sarfraz fell just short of 50 with a slightest of leg-side tickles to the 'keeper but his captain maintained the required strike rate to keep Pakistan on course. The number three was also caught behind going for a big hit just seven short of the target but Misbah proceeded to win the match and square the series with nine balls to spare.

Never before had they achieved a last-day victory with such a strike rate and only in the classic 1994 Karachi climax against Australia did they score more in the fourth innings to snatch glory from the jaws of defeat. Ali received the Man of the Match award but so much credit must go to his leader on the pitch. Misbah's second 60+ of the game broke Sri Lankan hearts and spirits, but despite his 135 and 97 in the previous fixtures, it was his opposite number who took the individual series award. Both held the shared trophy aloft afterwards.

So it was another Test series giving us an exciting finale but, let's face it, the first 4 1/2 days were poor entertainment unless you enjoy endless spin bowling and defensive batting. In the end, Pakistan's stroke players won the day, and Misbah, closing in on his 40th birthday, is playing better than ever. His belated Test career has yielded 30 half-centuries in only 80 innings. Mostly batting at six, he has fourteen not-outs to his name, boosting his average to 48.75. He has also proved an invaluable one-day batsman, despite never having reached three figures in 128 ODI innings. Alastair Cook may be jaded but the old man from Mianwali appears the picture of health and happiness.

2013 One-day Players of the Year

With just a few days to go in 2013, here's the first of my reviews of the past calendar year. South Africa are firmly esconced as the leading Test nation in the ICC rankings, while India's dominance in the Champions Trophy helped them to top spot in the ODI table, albeit closely followed by Australia, England and the Proteas. The West Indies have looked sadly meek and Sri Lanka have a tired reliance on Sangakkara, Dilshan and Jayawardene, even if it were Chandimal and Malinga who helped them to a consolation victory over Pakistan today. But who would make my ODI Team of 2013?

This was the year which brought two very different opening batsmen to global attention. Shikhar Dhawan announced himself on the Test scene with a blistering 187 on debut, very different from the two-ball duck he suffered on his first ODI appearance three years earlier. In 2013, he built on that record-breaking innnigs against the Aussies by outscoring every other batsman in the 50-over format and all bar four in ODIs, notching five centuries in the process. I watched his silky hundred in that Champions Trophy opener at Cardiff with particular pleasure. Accompanying him at the crease should be South Africa's new kid on the block, Quinton de Kock. As well as relieving AB of some of the 'keeping pressure, he has produced some superb innings, highlighted by three successive three-figure scores in the recent series against India. He keeps out Dhawan's usual partner Rohit Sharma from the team, but only just.

Virat Kohli and Misbah-ul-Haq each represented their contries 34 times during 2013. The Pakistani captain may be, at 39, nearing the end of his career but nobody in world cricket was more consistent at scoring valuable half-centuries. Incredibly, he has never reached three figures in ODIs but this year alone he reached 50 fifteen times! Not a big hitter he has carefully kept the scoreboard ticking over while others have gone for their strokes. At 1,373 runs, nobody scored more in ODIs. Not even Kohli who, aged 25, may not yet be in his prime, an ominous thought for opposing bowlers. Scoring at almost a run a ball, and also a brilliant fielder, Kohli is an obvious choice for my middle-order.

So is AB De Villiers, who edges out Sangakkara from my team this year. Topping both Test and ODI rankings, he is simply the best batsman in world cricket right now, despite his wicketkeeping duties in most games. Mohammad Hafeez's late burst of runs for Pakistan and Shahid Afridi's occasional all-round fireworks have pushed for selection but I've gone for Australia's promoted captain George Bailey as another specialist batsman. In 22 matches, he produced more than a thousand runs at exactly a run a ball, including some impressive scores in India a few months ago. Somehow I can't find room for MS Dhoni. Maybe next year....

Hafeez and Sharma offer the option of fill-in spin bowling but India's Ravindra Jadeja was the outstanding ODI all-rounder of 2013. 52 wickets at 25 and almost 500 runs at a respectable lick bring him in to my side as left-armer. Topping the ICC ODI rankings as well as the wicket table for 2013 is Saeed Ajmal, once again the most successful off-spinner in world cricket.

Junaid Khan of Pakistan has developed in to a very useful one-day swing and seam merchant and his 52 victims and average of 21 propel him into my XI of the year, if not yet the ICC top ten. Aged 24, he has the young legs which Umar Gul no longer possesses, and hopefully he has a long future ahead of him. England's Finn and Anderson both sit in the official top ten but that relies on past glories. Two Mitchells, McClenaghan and Johnson each enjoyed great years but the sheer brilliance of Dale Steyn makes him a definite new-ball man. He played only 13 ODIs yet took 27 wickets at just 16 apiece, conceding fewer than four an over. End of argument. My final choice is another Pakistani late developer, Mohammad Irfan. Not just a giant fast bowler, he took cheap wickets all around the world throughout 2013.

Therefore, at risk of being a batsman short (make Rohit Sharma or Afridi the twelfth man), my ODI XI is as follows:-

Shikhar Dhawan (Ind), Quinton de Kock (SA), Virat Kohli (Ind), George Bailey (Aust), AB De Villiers (SA +), Misbah-ul-Haq (Pak*), Ravi Jadeja (Ind), Dale Steyn (SA), Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan, Mohammed Irfan (all Pak).

So what about Twenty20 in 2013? Best summarised thus: Brisbane Heat, Mumbai Indians, Northamptonshire and Chris Gayle. Special mentions to veterans Azhar Mahmood (top wicket-taker), Brad Hodge and Alfonso Thomas, Sunil Narine (whose 54 wickets came while conceding barely five an over) and Aaron Finch, who plundered that world record 156, including 14 sixes, for Australia against England last summer.

Old is the new Young

Happy Christmas, everybody! The old man in the beard has made his global sleigh ride and Rudolph and co are putting up their hooves and vowing never to touch another carrot again. It's not just Santa who strikes a blow for the more mature man. 2013 has been a great year for the thirty-somethings, including those with beards.

Hashim Amla remains one of the world's best batsmen, Moeen Ali had a wonderful county season and everybody wants a piece of Mushtaq Ahmed. So Matt Prior messed things up at the end, but Monty Panesar could yet rediscover some form in Melbourne. Less bushy beards, and younger owners but Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan enjoyed sparkling years, too.

Sachin Tendulkar finally called it a day aged 40, but Misbah-ul-Haq is not far behind and yet scored more ODI runs than anyone else in the year to date whilst skippering Pakistan with some merit. Shivnarine Chanderpaul is another in his 40th year but is still a valued accumulator of runs for the West Indies and Derbyshire. Brad Hodge and Azhar Mahmood are about to turn 39 yet at the time of writing, nobody has more T20 wickets than the Pakistani all-rounder and only three have more runs in the short format than the veteran Aussie.

Speaking of Australians, the Ashes have been reclaimed by a team boasting six thirty-somethings. Ponting and Mike Hussey may have quit Test cricket but age and experience have proved triumphant in recent weeks Down Under. While the new brigade of Aussie pace bowlers have wilted, it has been left to Ryan Harris (34), Mitchell Johnson (32), Shane Watson (32) and Peter Siddle (29) to blow England's batting to kingdom come. 36 year-old Chris Rogers earned a surprise recall to the opener slot, captain Michael Clarke seems in prime form, George Bailey's limited-over success has won promotion to the Test side at 31, and Brad Haddin (36) has finally made the Test wicketkeeper position his own, claiming 76 first-class victims across 2013 whilst scoring heavily against England throughout December. Michael Hogan may not be in the Test team but he claimed many more first-class wickets than anyone else in 2013, racking up 108 for Glamorgan and Western Australia. Yes, he's also 32.

Obviously it is unlikely that the same XI will be lined up againat South Africa and India in five years' time. A succession strategy is still required for Cricket Australia. Nevertheless, if you're good enough, you're young enough. Hughes, Khawaja and co may yet get a decent run in the side, but greater experience of Sheffield Shield or County Championship cricket will come in very handy. Bird, Cummins and co must be brought on and improve their fitness but in the mean time, Lehmann's charges can roll back the years and prove that passing 30 doesn't necessarily mean imminent retirement or brushing up the bon mots and wit for the commentary box. Facial hair is optional.

Dhawan dominates again

Well, it's all looking so good for India again. World Cup holders and now they seem to be the team to beat in the Champions Trophy. I enjoyed being in Cardiff to watch their opening triumph against South Africa and, unless Pakistan beat them in what would normally be called a 'dead rubber', I should be seeing them in semi-final action at the same venue next Thursday.

Shikhar Dhawan collected another century today, Rohit Sharma another fifty and Ravi Jadeja more plaudits for his bowling as the West Indies crumbled. Half-centuries from opener Johnson Charles, in for banned cheat Ramdin, and Darren Sammy were nowhere near enough to set Dhoni's men a testing target at The Oval. It was all over with more than ten overs remaining. England's easy victory over Australia at the weekend sets them up for the clash with Sri Lanka who came close to denying New Zealand in that memorable match in Wales a few days ago. In my mind, it's all set for an India v England final but of course this is one-day cricket and anything could happen. A Malinga blitz can change a game in minutes so Cook, Trott, Buttler and co need to practise digging out yorkers.

Pakistan have been very disappointing. Dark horses for the tournament, their batsmen - other than skipper Misbah-ul-Haq - simply haven't turned up. Ryan McLaren's 4-19 finished them off yesterday after Hashim Amla looked back to his fluid best. Misbah's men were so bad that even Lonwano Tsotsobe conceded only 23 from his nine overs! South Africa now meet West Indies to decide who advances to the semis. The former badly missed Dale Steyn in the India match and if he fails to recover for the final group fixture, the supporting cast of seamers will need to be at their best. However, the Windies are so unpredictable and if Chris Gayle finally comes good, no bowler can contain him.

The Aussie-NZ contest could be an interesting one. The green-and-yellows looked a shadow of their former selves against England. The big hitters at the top flopped and the experienced England line-up stood up well to the young Aussie quicks. The Black Caps only just scraped the two points in the Cardiff nailbiter so it's difficult to assess their chances. If the side which gave England a bloody nose a few weeks ago turn up at Edgbaston, they could spring a surprise and send their neighbours home early. Martin Guptill and Shane Watson are potential matchwinners but wickets for Daniel Vettori would make a nice story. His comeback from injury looked premature the other day, while his team-mates were in competitive mode. It's Michael Clarke's current back injury making more of the headlines at the moment and his middle-order stability and leadership which the Aussies miss most. Pup's absence must give New Zealand real confidence of winning the game and proceeding to another tournament semi-final.

Pakistan avoid a double low

In their 61-year cricketing history, Pakistan have been bowled out for under 100 only 14 times. Six of them have occurred in the past three years, culminating in that embarrassing dismissal for 49 yesterday. I wrote a few days ago that the South African pacemen could be spurred to do their worst but I couldn't have predicted figures of 6-8 for the sensational Steyn! Nevertheless, Graeme Smith chose not to enforce a follow-on and risk the match ending inside two days. That has had the benefit of treating the crowd to some typically entertaining innings from Amla and centurion AB De Villiers and the opportunity for Pakistan to set a more positive record by achieving the record fourth innings run chase.

I'm being generous here! Of course Pakistan were never going to knock off 480 to win, especially when Younis Khan's wicket left them gloomy on 82-4. Steyn, Philander et al could have blown them away inside an hour so hats off to skipper Misbah-ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq for battling their way to a century partnership and take the game into a fourth day. For all their recent batting collapses, the nation stands at a creditable fourth in the ICC rankings so they must be doing something right.

However, let's hope they avoid any more frightful failures in this series. On the controversial tour of England in 2010, which left half the team in jail, Pakitan were bowled out for 80, 72 and 74 in the First, Third and Fourth Tests, respectively. Needless to say they lost all these games heavily. For Steyn and Kallis, read Anderson and Swann! Only once have they been dismissed for a double-figure score and won. Fast forward to Dubai in 2012, and Pakistan were 2-0 up when Anderson, Broad and Panesar left them reeling at 99 all out on day one. Abdur Rehman's 5-30 kept them in the game, but when Younis and Azhar Ali blazed a double-century third-wicket stand to set England 324 to win, it was Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal who did the damage and completed an impressive victory from the jaws of defeat.

The Middle East was the scene of possibly Pakistan's nadir back in 2002. In the Second Test at Sharjah against Australia, Waqar Younis' men were skittled for 50-something not once but twice! Younis and Misbah were both playing that day so yesterday's disaster must have stirred memories best left forgotten. At that time, the Aussie line-up was pretty much as strong as any we've witnessed in my lifetime: Langer, Hayden, Ponting, both Waughs, Martyn, Gilchrist, Warne, Lee, Bichel, McGrath. About the only thing that went right was Waqar winning the toss.

Both openers were back in the pavilion after 7 balls. It went from bad to worse. After McGrath and Lee came Bichel and the maestro Warne. Pity Abdul Razzaq, the only man to reach double figures as Pakistan plummeted to 59 all out. The second highest contribution came from extras (14). The performance was put into context by Australia's response. In particular, Matthew Hayden doubled Pakistan's score all on his own! However, Saqlain and Razzaq did well to restrict the Aussies' lead to about 250 but come the second innings, it was groundhog day for Waqar et al. This time, poor Taufeeq Umar's 'pair' was completed without facing a single ball (run out by Ponting)! A Lee lifter meant Razzaq retired hurt, then the highest partnership was shared by opener Imran Nazir and Misbah - a mighty 19 runs. The whole sorry sage was over in two hours. Australia had won by an innings, Pakistan had scraped a pathetic 112 runs in two innings and Warne's match figures were 17.5-6-24-8.

As for 2013, best write off the Jo'burg opener and re-gather strength for Cape Town.