Two old-school warriors

Misbah and Younus familiarised Pakistan Cricket to what it never knew.

2007 was the cruellest year. 

A bit despicable too!

It changed Cricket forever. 
The gentlemen’s game bought a revolution. Bats got bigger. Strike rates hiked. Dot balls mattered. Bowlers switched from attack to mischief. Slower ones replaced deadly bouncers.

All above morphed a new phenomenon.

Terms like “containing” and “building” lost relevance. “Hit and Run” became the only notion of batting. Guys like Ponting and Dravid got fading. Stars like Gayle and Warner set rocking.

In the midst, two old-school gentlemen thrived.

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May 14th would be the last day.
No more Misbah. 

No more Younus. 

However it was, their era would come to the close.

When they took off, Pakistan had stars like Saeed Anwar, Yousuf, Inzimam, Ejaz, Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram. These two were hard to fit in. To make it, they were to toil hard.

Nearly two decades since.
And both are set to leave the game on a note higher than all their predecessors. They have outnumbered all the greats of Pakistan Cricket. They have scored more. They have won more.
And they’ve been acclaimed more.

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Why would a country like Pakistan need these two to reinvent Cricketing greatness?

Pakistan has a rich cricket culture. They have produced many a gentleman and some deadly fast guns. Two Ws were one of the most intriguing pace duo of all times. Anwar and Sohail were the finest opening pair of their times. Inzimam and Yousuf were true stars.
Even before all these, world had seen Kardar, Fazal, Hanif, Zaheer, Sarfraz and Imran.

In all of them, aggression was the key. A Pakistani star would be someone who would bowl really fast. Or bat extremely smart.
Yet despite being so richly talented, it was quite usual for Pakistan Cricket to be in the news.
Mostly for wrong reasons though.

Looking at the two old men, it is hard to find anything Pakistani.
Misbah is no Inzi. Younus is no Yousuf. They are quite average batsmen. On the field, they are even quieter sportsmen. They don’t create headlines. And they never get picked for selling beverages. Or seducing Shampoo buyers.

They just play Cricket.

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As the norm goes, great sporting careers pick up in mid-twenties and breathe out in mid-thirties. Not that mid-thirties fade skills away, it is about age. Once one starts ageing, his attention spans start shortening.

Body declines.
Nerves cloud.
And a lazy end follows.

Misbah and Younus upset the established order. When they should’ve been sitting in some cosy commentary boxes, they were often found on the crease. Piling more runs, building more partnerships. And winning more games.

Not just they bent time and space, they also made it count.
Their old school gentle cricket produced more results than all the prior approaches. They have outclassed a lot of Pakistani greats in an altogether un-Pakistani fashion.

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Lack of fandom is bound to hurt a sportsman.
They do it for claps, chants and cheers. Cricket is for life. Fans fuel life into Cricketers.

The duo had fewer fans.
There were critics. 

More than anyone of their league got.

Yet, it didn’t hurt.
It only helped them.

For most part of their careers, they went unnoticed. No matter how good they played. Or how often they won. Little would be acknowledged. Frequently would they be told how ordinary they were. And how badly they had changed the culture of Pakistan Cricket.
It should be known for aggression and thrill.

They possessed neither.

A critique like that puts up a real challenge. For ageing sportsmen, it becomes the toughest. They are always questioned how far could they go.

Misbah and Younus wouldn't answer on press mics. 

They would respond on the crease.

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Before them, Pakistan were never known for stability and calmness. They were famous for collisions and collapses.
The duo changed all that. They stood for composure and control.

Over the years, they have proved their point.

Composure and calmness have borne more fruits than thrill and aggression. 

At least for Pakistan.

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Now that they are set to go, not much is left to be questioned off them. With their beautifully managed careers and nobly sustained characters, they have justified their greatness. Numbers shall remain the evidence.

Yet, the enormity of their numbers still remains a part. The real story is how they managed their careers not just through the most challenging phases of the game but also, unarguably, the darkest phase of Pakistan Cricket.

Years down the lane, when Cricket historians would read of the T20 revolution and the impact it created, they would certainly come across two noble souls.

When all the world rushed into new-school hit-hard madness, two old-school warriors steered one sinking ship to glory.
When Pakistan lost their home and hope, two old statesmen stood for it.


They won a lot more than cricket.
They claimed respect.

Respect!

An entity not so familiar with Pakistan Cricket.