Pakistan's Misbah Ul Haq plays a shot during the first day of the second
Test cricket match between Pakistan and England in Dubai on October 22,
2015. PHOTO | MARWAN NAAMANI |
AFP
SHARJAH
Pakistan's third and
final Test against England from Sunday could be a fitting farewell for
Misbah-ul-Haq, the country's most successful captain who is mulling his
Test future.
The 41-year-old, who quit one-day cricket
after the World Cup earlier this year, had suggested that he would leave
the game after a two-Test series against India in December-January.
But
with relations between the arch-rivals once again strained and with
that series in doubt, this England series may be Misbah's last.
"I was trying to make a decision before this Test but now I have just left it," Misbah said Saturday.
"I
will really think about what I should do because there is a long gap
before our next series," Misbah added, referring to Pakistan's next
series in England in July next year.
Pakistan are 1-0
up against England after winning the second Test by 178 runs in Dubai.
The first Test ended in a draw in Abu Dhabi.
A 2-0
series win will lift Pakistan to number two in the ICC (International
Cricket Council) Test rankings, previously briefly attained by them for
few days in August 2006.
Misbah's personal form and fitness suggest he can carry on, having scored 3, 51, 102 and 87 in the four innings of the series.
But he said a player should leave the game on a high.
"One should think about leaving the game with respect rather than leaving it when he is forced to leave," said Misbah.
Misbah
will hope his team does not squander a good opportunity to win another
Test series, as they did against New Zealand, who fought back for 1-1 in
Sharjah last year.
The Sharjah stadium pitch has been
re-laid and is likely to help spinners, with leggie Yasir Shah, who took
eight wickets in Dubai, and left-armer Zulfiqar Babar, who managed
three wickets, playing a key role.
KHAN OUT
Shah worked with legendary Australian spinner Shane Warne in the nets on Thursday.
Pakistan
will bring in Azhar Ali — who missed the first Test with injury and
second after his mother-in-law died — to open the innings in place of
Shan Masood.
Also out is paceman Imran Khan after he injured his bowling hand on Friday, making way for fast bowler Rahat Ali.
Asked
if Pakistan could bring in a third spinner in Bilal Asif — cleared of
suspect bowling action on Friday — Misbah replied: "We have been
thinking about it."
"But the pitch doesn't look like that sort of a turner where you can go with three spinners."
"But the pitch doesn't look like that sort of a turner where you can go with three spinners."
England,
who were routed 3-0 by Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates three years
ago, are likely to bring in middle-order batsman James Taylor for Jos
Butler, who has failed as wicket-keeper/batsman, managing just 34 in
four innings.
If that happens, Jonny Bairstow will keep wicket while seamer Mark Wood will be rested with an ankle problem.
Skipper
Alastair Cook said changes would be decided later, with a third spinner
Samit Patel in the reckoning as England already have three pacers in
James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Ben Stokes.
"That's
the major issue we have got to make," said Cook. "So we have to decide
24 hours later, it's really easy after the game, in hindsight that you
made the right decision and it will be a tough call."
If England, currently third in the rankings, lose the series 2-0 they will drop to as low as sixth.
Teams (from):
Pakistan:
Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Shan Masood, Azhar Ali,
Mohammad Hafeez, Fawad Alam, Asad Shafiq, Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik,
Sarfraz Ahmed, Yasir Shah, Zulfiqar Babar, Wahab Riaz, Rahat Ali, Junaid
Khan, Bilal Asif, Mohammad Rizwan
England: Alastair
Cook (capt), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Samit Patel, Jonny Bairstow, Ian
Bell, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Chris Jordan, Alex Hales, Liam
Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, James Taylor
Umpires: Bruce Oxenford (AUS) and Chris Gaffaney (NZL)
TV umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS)
Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)
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