Misbah says he wants Pakistan to play aggressive, attacking cricket

LAHORE: Pakistan head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq on Wednesday said he wants the team to play aggressive cricket, to play attacking cricket and win.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Misbah said, “This is a huge responsibility for me and I am happy that people had the confidence in me to entrust me with this responsibility.”

“Whatever I am today, it is because of Pakistan and I am very grateful for that,” Misbah said.

Speaking about his new role as the chief selector, the 45-year-old said, the decision to hand him the dual responsibility of a head coach and chief selector is huge and he will do all in his power to deliver on both the fronts with a hindered per cent honesty.

“I will give a 100 per cent and try to play my role to bring positivity to Pakistan cricket,” Misbah said. “I have always wanted to bring professionalism to the team. From top to the bottom and bottom to the top into the team.”

The former captain continued, “There was a lot of talk about the type of cricket I used to play and what type of cricket I would bring once I became the coach. As a coach I will try to play aggressive cricket, to play attacking cricket and win.”

“However, that is not the case all the time. Sometimes you have to assess the team you’re playing and then decide which sort of cricket you want to play,” Misbah added.

“My priority is that I have a team which plays attacking cricket team, keeping in mind that sometimes you have to assess what team you’re playing and then rethink your strategy,” he noted.

About the criticism that has been coming the team’s way, Misbah said, “I know how to handle criticism. The key is to listen to people and if it is important then a person should have enough to listen and improve themselves. However, if it is irrelevant criticism then you should know how to handle that as well.”

Responding to a question about the captain and the role and authority he should have, Misbah said, he believed, the captain should have a say in the final playing eleven.

“The final authority of the playing eleven should be given to the captain as well and should be given value. The person who operates the team should be given preference over who plays in the team,” he said.

In response to another question about working with Waqar Younis as a bowling coach for the national team, Misbah said, “I have been clear before on this. I have worked with Waqar before in PSL [Pakistan Super League] and in the team and there has never been any interference.”

“He [Waqar] doesn’t interfere in my domain and I don’t in his,” Misbah said. “There is no better option Waqar to be the bowling coach and I have no doubt that there will be any problem. We both know how to work professionally.”

On the subject of what is priority would be, Misbah said Test cricket is his priority. “Test cricket is the propriety for me. If you’re good in Test cricket then you automatically play better in the limited-overs cricket.”

“The one thing that has been lacking in the team has been that we haven’t been consistent. One day we are goos in one department and the other day it is something else. We aren’t professional. My aim is to bring professionalism to the team so that we are on the same level as England and Australian teams,” he added.