During past 5-6 years Pakistan team management and think tank was relaxed in presence of Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan, as both were carrying burden of Pakistan’s middle order batting on their shoulders with the support of two youngsters Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq as both used to chip in time to time and showed glimpses of their talent.
Both Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq had unanimously nominated as a successor of MISYOU and all eyes were on them that when Misbah and Younis will get retire these two will not only hold the Pakistan’s batting fort but also guides the youngster that will make their way into the national team after MISYOU era.
Since the retirement of Misbah & Younis it seems that our two most experienced batsman’s had forget how to built an innings and it seems that they can only play long under the guidance of someone which they were getting form Misbah & Younis as both Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq not only failing in delivering the goods for Pakistan but also unable to guide the youngsters what was the hallmark of Younis and Misbah’s batting in their playing days.
Asad Shafiq career average is almost the same but he is unable to up his game which was the requirement of the hour after Misbah and Younis and also he is unable to converts his starts into something substantial which can help Pakistan to win the game on his own. His century per innings ratio which was 9 in MISYOU era is now increased to 15 innings post MISYOU era. Despite he has passed the 40 run mark 8 times out of the 15 completed innings he played but was not able to build on the starts he is getting.
On the other hand Azhar Ali who was Pakistan’s main stay while batting in the middle order had drastically lost his MOJO. Azhar Ali career batting average which was hovering around 47 runs per innings with Misbah and Younis has now dropped considerably as he only manages to score at an average of 26 runs per innings since retirement of MISYOU in 16 complete innings. Azhar also scoring century in his every 8th innings while he was playing in Misbah & Younis days but in post Misbah & Younis era it’s been 16 innings since Azhar had crossed the three figures mark in an innings.
Despite all the failures they both are enjoying the backing of team management and they deserve it because of their performances in the past but now it is the time to repay the faith of the think tank as Pakistan is already 1-0 down in the current series against New Zealand and Azhar and Asad Shafiq needs to stand up and show their mettle.
