Pakistan's 2021 T20 World Cup preparations on track: coach Misbah-ul-Haq

Pakistan head coach and chief selector Misbah-Haq has brushed aside concerns over preparations for 2021 World T20, assuring he would have a strong pool to pick the best 15 from for the event to be held in India. He also made it clear that the team management had roles for senior players Wahab Riaz, Muhammad Hafeez, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shoaib Malik in their plans for the World Cup and they would not be discarded. The former Test captain also told a press conference in Lahore on Monday that  he was trying to fully empower limited overs captain Babar Azam and it was a wrong impression that the young batsman is being dominated by the team management including himself.

'On track'

"Babar is powerful and takes his own decisions and we are not trying to dominate him we are trying to empower him.

"I know having remained captain myself how important it is to give authority to a captain who can only learn after taking decisions and don't forget any captain can make mistakes on a day, Misbah said.

Describing the tour of England as one with positives, Misbah admitted that he and the team had regrets that they didn't win the Test series 1-0 and the T20 series by 2-0.

"Overall, it was a very important tour because of the Covid-19 situation and it was also important for World and English cricket and if I summarise it obviously regret is there as a team and coach that results didn't go in our favour.

Misbah also said that the consistent bad weather was also a frustrating factor in the Test series, which Pakistan lost 1-0.  "I think we created a very good image of Pakistan cricket and for me the most pleasing aspect was that as a team we bonded a lot and as a coach and selector the players also opened up to me and shared their feelings with me.  "I believe that when communication is good between a coach and his players any insecurities or fear among players which are performance related vanish."

Misbah also felt that the fact that Pakistan had managed to twice get 190 totals in the T20 series were positives and indicated the team was moving in the right direction. "They are encouraging signs and in future we will build on it." Misbah said they had enough time to groom the youngsters with the seniors for the World Cup.

"The cricket we are playing in T20 cricket I think we are going towards on the right track gaining firepower. We need to show more consistency. We have a young lot of bowlers. We have invested correctly.

"Results are not desired ones but overall the process I am satisfied with."

Misbah also said when he took over, Pakistan was already on a losing streak in T20 cricket due to the dip in form of performers like Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan and Hasan Ali and said disappointment is natural when you don't get desired results as a player and coach. 

Image credits: AP