‘Competitor’ Misbah says Afridi “doing good job” as Pak ODI skipper

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s Test captain Misbahul Haq has come out in the support of incumbent limited-overs skipper Shahid Afridi amid uncertainty looming over the selection of the national team’s captain for the forthcoming World Cup.

While some former cricket greats are backing Misbah to replace Afridi as Pakistan’s captain for the World Cup, which begins on February 19 and is to be jointly hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the Test skipper said he was happy to play under Afridi.

“I think Shahid Afridi is doing a good job. We have no problems and whoever is the captain, we will go out there and play our game. Everybody is in good form. That’s a good thing for the team. Everybody’s contributing and getting scores; even the bowlers are doing well, so these are good signs (for the World Cup),” the Daily Times quoted Misbah, as saying.

The Pakistan Cricket Board will announce the team captain for the forthcoming World Cup on February 4, a day before the final match of their ongoing one-day series against New Zealand.

“The team has gelled well. Whoever is the captain, everyone will play for the team and for the country,” Misbah maintained.

The batsman has been in excellent form in New Zealand, where he has scored 178 runs in the three innings of the six-match one-day series, while he notched up 231 runs at an average of 115.50 in the Tests played there.

“It’s really good for me, I’m really enjoying playing in New Zealand,” Misbah said. “My performance is going well and I’m doing a good job for the team.”

His good form began in the two-match Test series against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates last November, when he scored three half-centuries and helped Pakistan draw the series.

Misbah credited the faith that the selectors and the team had displayed in him for his brilliant performances both in ODIs and Test matches.

“A lot of things are behind it (my form). I’ve taken a lot of confidence from the team management and a lot of confidence from the selectors, the coach and the captain and that makes a big difference,” he said.

“Cricket is all about confidence. At the moment the confidence is high and that’s why I’m scoring runs,” Misbah added. (ANI)