Misbah-ul-Haq raises his bat after scoring a half century in the first Test against Sri Lanka in January in Dubai. Satish Kumar / The National / January 1, 2014
Misbah-ul-Haq raises his bat after scoring a half century in the first Test against Sri Lanka in January in Dubai. Satish Kumar / The National / January 1, 2014

Australia looming, Misbah-ul-Haq battling own mortality too



Mortality comes to man gradually and unwittingly, even though his recognition of it could be sudden. One day, combing the hair on his head takes a little longer for all the bare patches to cover.

One day he becomes a parent. One day, he realises there is social media and he does not understand it. One day, all his music becomes old.

The signs are different for an athlete because mortality has an entirely different meaning for him. One day, he is that bit slower. His warning signs of impending danger are less audible. But man or athlete, the message is the same: the end approaches.

This is the phase right now in the sporting life of Misbah-ul-Haq. On Wednesday, he leads Pakistan out against Australia for a 30th Test as captain. He is 40 now.

Though he has not looked especially out of touch, the last couple of months feel a little like that bald patch that refuses to stay hidden.

In the field – and this could just be the imagination – he has looked a touch older at midwicket, particularly when diving.

He has lost a lot of weight, when he probably did not need to; perhaps it is a sign that he is worried about his age.

He has also been run-out four times in his last few innings, which may not say anything without context, but you can see people might talk about that kind of thing and bring up his age.

Pakistan have five Tests this winter and then not another until after the World Cup. This stretch right now is where mortality is catching up with Misbah.

He may not be around after the World Cup. If his form does not return, he may not be around during it.

It is difficult to think he will be here for the next home season, when England and hopefully India arrive.

This could be the end. He is not immortal, not yet anyway. He has left an imprint in that this has been, inarguably, his era. Who could have even imagined that back in 2007?

If he leads all five Tests, he will move alongside Javed Miandad in having captained Pakistan in more Tests than anyone bar Imran Khan.

Let that fact sink in. In a country that has changed captains almost as many times as the number of years it has even been a country, to do it unchallenged for four years is a gargantuan achievement. If he somehow leads Pakistan to three wins from those five, or more, he could become the winningest Test captain in Pakistan’s history.

But a mere imprint does not, ultimately, say much. In their own ways, Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir have also left theirs on Pakistan cricket.

No, every man wants to leave behind a reminder that, for a while, he did not just exist but that he meant something and that he fought off mortality.

Misbah will always have the England Test whitewash in the UAE in 2012, but it is his bearing as captain rather than the results that may end up meaning more.

When Pakistan was that man standing on a ledge threatening to jump, he was the guy in the next window calmly talking him out of it. That should not be mistaken for weak leadership: Misbah has exercised power rather than abuse it.

Here he stands now, aware of his own mortality. And he must be aware, for why else would he have stepped down as captain, even for just one dead-rubber ODI? That act in itself makes him unique. Nobody has ever willingly left the Pakistani leadership.

Now is also an opportunity. Pakistan’s modern record against Australia is miserable. No Pakistan captain has beaten Australia in a Test series since Salim Malik did so, 20 years ago. Only one has managed to not lose a Test.

But, even if Misbah is without half a team’s worth of frontline bowlers, his side is undefeated in a Test series in the UAE for four years. Australia could be on the verge of something special but this is an unfamiliar environment and they have not played a Test in nearly eight months.

Mortality does not stop men dreaming, and a series win against Australia? It may guarantee Misbah immortality.

osamiuddin@thenational.ae

Follow us on Twitter @SprtNationalUAE

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding

Engine: 3.5-litre V6

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 290hp

Torque: 340Nm

Price: Dh155,800

On sale: now

Wonka
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Paul%20King%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3ETimothee%20Chalamet%2C%20Olivia%20Colman%2C%20Hugh%20Grant%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

SPECS
%3Cp%3EEngine%3A%20Twin-turbocharged%204-litre%20V8%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20625%20bhp%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20630Nm%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20Now%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh974%2C011%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Nepotism is the name of the game

Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad. 

Vidaamuyarchi

Director: Magizh Thirumeni

Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
TRAP

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue

Director: M Night Shyamalan

Rating: 3/5

Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
  • Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
  • Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
  • Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
 
 
BORDERLANDS

Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis

Director: Eli Roth

Rating: 0/5

Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
The bio

Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France

Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines

Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.

Favourite Author: My father for sure

Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

The five pillars of Islam
Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Floward%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERiyadh%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbdulaziz%20Al%20Loughani%20and%20Mohamed%20Al%20Arifi%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EE-commerce%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbout%20%24200%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAljazira%20Capital%2C%20Rainwater%20Partners%2C%20STV%20and%20Impact46%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C200%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.