Pakistan Rise to Number 1

[nightprowler10]

Kind of wish the Pak-Eng series happened after these washed out Tests. Right now it feels like we got this by default.

Relevant of course.

 

[Dissector]

Blogs: Kamran Abbasi on Pakistan becoming the No. 1 Test team | Cricket Blogs | ESPN Cricinfo

Nice column by Kamran Abbasi putting it in a wider context. It really is a great story and I hope someone , perhaps Abbasi himself, writes the book that it deserves.

 

[nightprowler10]

Blogs: Kamran Abbasi on Pakistan becoming the No. 1 Test team | Cricket Blogs | ESPN Cricinfo

Nice column by Kamran Abbasi putting it in a wider context. It really is a great story and I hope someone , perhaps Abbasi himself, writes the book that it deserves.

Very good. This blurb sums up my feelings after 2010:

The spot-fixing scandal of 2010 simply hastened the end, putting us out of our misery. If anything was to survive that disaster it was to be the thrash and crash of limited overs. Not Test cricket. That would die.

For these guys to rise up from that disaster and hold the number 1 spot is quite the achievement.

 

[Shady Slim]

man this is awesome go pak woop woop

see now that shehzad's not there, your team is filled with humble guys who you can tell love their cricket and have done so well against the adversity that they've faced

 

[smash84]

man this is awesome go pak woop woop

see now that shehzad's not there, your team is filled with humble guys who you can tell love their cricket and have done so well against the adversity that they've faced

quite agree with you SS. That **** shahzad was a pet hate of mine

 

[Adders]

Congrats to Pakistan.....thoroughly deserved for an incredibly likeable team (and that's certainly something I never thought I'd say!!)

 

[smash84]

Congrats to Pakistan.....thoroughly deserved for an incredibly likeable team (and that's certainly something I never thought I'd say!!)

tell that to Jimmy A

 

[Black_Warrior]

I think they would've been 3rd for most of the 90's. Australia and the West Indies were ahead in the early 90's, South Africa and Australia for the late 90's. Think there would've been a fair chance they hit #2 though.

Interestingly though Pakistan would've #1 for two months back in 1988 under the current system.

This is really funny because I don't consider this Pakistan team particularly strong


What was their peak ranking in the 90s when they possessed several ATGs?

They weren't a very good test side at all in the 90s, especially from 90s onwards.
Lost a home series to Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, Australia, South Africa, and finally England in 00.
There were just far too many things going wrong for the 90s team of great individuals to come together and form a cohesive unit. Captaincy was a game of musical chairs.

03-06 under Inzy was probably the strongest test team of Pakistan since the 90s. And then came Misbah.

 

[Burgey]

This is so good.

 

[Black_Warrior]

When Misbah took over in 2010, Pakistan were ranked 7 in the world.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Just Amazing. Supporting Pak all these years through all the **** has finally paid off.

Love Misbah and Younis

 

[honestbharani]

#wedabest

Amazing feat for this team, really. I know it's become a bit of a meme that they're inconsistent and unpredictable over the few years, but this is the most consistent I've seen them perform in any one format in my time of watching cricket.

Exactly my thoughts. The difference between this side and some of the other good Pakistan sides from the past is that those sides always played to the trope of the mercurial Pakistan teams, this one does not. They are perhaps the most un-Pakistan like team from Pakistan ever and that is a credit to Misbah and everyone else who has played a part in this team doing well. Hope people do not forget the contributions of ex coaches like Waqar when congratulating the team. They deserve their share of the credit too.

I have already said they are, to me, the best team currently and its nice when the rankings reflect our own personal ratings too. Go Misbah

 

[Prince EWS]

Thank you based Misbah.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Remember when PEWS used to be called Misbah on CW? Now he's pretending like he doesn't care

 

[Zinzan]

Fair play Pakistan.

 

[Prince EWS]

Remember when PEWS used to be called Misbah on CW? Now he's pretending like he doesn't care

Yeah I was his biggest fan for ages. I was a really pessimistic and cynical one -- I thought he'd be scapegoated and dropped/sacked pretty quickly -- but I always cheered him on. I don't have to be so loud about it anymore though because he's converted everyone on CW. WAG.

 

[Daemon]

Can't help but think of the Pakistan team as Misbah and his kids, with a few immature brothers like Younis.

Very likeable, this current team.

 

[honestbharani]

Yeah I was his biggest fan for ages. I was a really pessimistic and cynical one -- I thought he'd be scapegoated and dropped/sacked pretty quickly -- but I always cheered him on. I don't have to be so loud about it anymore though because he's converted everyone on CW. WAG.

TBH, I don ever recall being negative about him ever but yeah back in those days around 2007 or so I always thought defensive captaincy was bad. But have since realized that it has its place in cricket and at times it can easily be the best option. Dhoni Misbah Ponting etc have all shown that over the years.

 

[Xuhaib]

First time ever in this system. Well done.

Misbah - Pakistan's greatest captain? Would be very close between him and Imran at least.

I love Misbah but its not even close.Imran won away series in India, England and was the only captain to draw a series in Windies in the 80's and then capped of with a world cup win.Imran would also skip home series unless the opponent was Westindies or India.

 

[Daemon]

Imran, besides himself being a top 5 cricketer of all time, also had some seriously great players alongside him.

Misbah has had to make do with his best players getting banned, cheaters, chuckers, guys getting spooked by ghosts, asylum seekers, playing away from home all the time and of course some very average players here and there.

I'm not saying Misbah is there but he could be in the discussion if results go his way.