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%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Raha%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Kuwait%2FSaudi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tech%20Logistics%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2414%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Soor%20Capital%2C%20eWTP%20Arabia%20Capital%2C%20Aujan%20Enterprises%2C%20Nox%20Management%2C%20Cedar%20Mundi%20Ventures%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20166%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eco%20Way%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20December%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Kroshnyi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Electric%20vehicles%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bootstrapped%20with%20undisclosed%20funding.%20Looking%20to%20raise%20funds%20from%20outside%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
EA Sports FC 25
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.5-litre%204-cylinder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20101hp%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20135Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Six-speed%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh79%2C900%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion

The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.

Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".

The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.

He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.

"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.

As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.

Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'

Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.

Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.

"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.

"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.

"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."


Middle East Today

The must read newsletter for the region

      By signing up, I agree to The National's privacy policy
      Middle East Today