It is here again!

The time to - wear your greens, calculate your if and but scenarios, go through high level thrills and some heartbreaks, build your fantasy teams, place your bets, tune into your favorite sports channel, follow The Pavilion religiously, participate on numerous forums on whatsapp and all other social media, wave your flags, and support team Pakistan - is here again!

This time comes every 4 years and it is here again.

It is time for the ICC ODI Cricket World Cup!

It seems like yesterday that a few of us were gearing up to fly down to London to follow Pakistan at the World Cup. The 4 years since have flown by.

There have been two T20 World Cups between the last edition in 2019 and this ODI World Cup.

But this time that comes every 4 years is when the cricket frenzy reaches its peak.

Pakistan's cricketers landed in Hyderabad last night and received a very heartwarming welcome with fans out in big numbers cheering them from the airport all the way to the hotel.

Pakistan's campaign starts tomorrow with a warm up match against New Zealand, followed by another warm up game against Australia next week.

A week from now is when the actual World Cup starts with a repeat of the World Cup 2019 Final.

Whatever has happened over the past 4 years is now irrelevant. All teams have done their preparations and they all now start off with a clean slate.

It doesn't matter who is ranked #1, who was ranked #1, who won what when, nothing really matters.

All that matters is the performance on the day and Pakistan is ready for the challenge.

I reckon this is Pakistan's strongest World Cup team since 1999.

This century has not been too good for Pakistan in ODI World Cups with only one semi final appearance out of 5 World Cups. In 2019 they missed out narrowly due to Net Run Rate.

I know I said that all the past is irrelevant and nothing really matters now, but one thing that I and many other Pakistan fans continue to relate to is 1992 - the only time Pakistan won an ODI World Cup.

It has been over 30 years now, but those memories are still fresh in my mind.

Every World Cup campaign a number of similarities are floated around by Pakistan fans comparing the now to what happened in 1992.

Already there are a few regarding the 2023 World Cup!

So since no one has really dared to initiate this list, here goes ...

1. Babar Azam is the first unmarried captain to lead Pakistan at a World Cup, since Imran Khan in 1992.

2. 1992 was Imran Khan's third World Cup as captain, following 1983 and 1987. This is also Babar Azam's third World Cup as captain, following T20 World Cups in 2021 and 2022.

3. In 1992, Pakistan's premier right arm fast bowler - Waqar Younis - got injured and had to miss the entire tournament. In 2023, Pakistan's premier right arm fast bowler - Naseem Shah - is injured and has to miss the entire tournament.

4. Pakistan entered the 1992 World Cup as the #2 ranked ODI team. Pakistan are entering the 2023 World Cup as the #2 ranked ODI team.

5. In 1992, the host nation - Australia, was the #1 ranked ODI team and tournament favorites. In 2023, the host nation - India, is the #1 ranked ODI team and tournament favorites.

What else?

Feel free to add to the list ...

Because, 1992 me bhi ...

PAKISTAAAAAAAAAAN ZINDABAAAAAAD !!!

Pakistan's T20 International series against Australia was not the kind of start that new T20 captain, Babar Azam, was looking for; however we at least witnessed Babar take charge and impose his authority with the bat in 2 of the 3 T20 games.

Suffice to say that captaincy burdens will not hamper Babar's batting ability.

Despite Pakistan suffering a 2-0 loss, there has been plenty of excitement building up among the Pakistan fans for the upcoming Test Series.

Particularly due to the video clips of Naseem Shah's bowling circulating on social media.



This boy is going to be a sensation.

Even though it was Imran Khan whose 5 wickets destroyed Australia A in the 3-day match, every Pakistani was focused solely on Naseem Shah's 8 overs, his speed, and his 1 wicket.

There is something about a free flowing express pace bowler who keeps the batsmen jumping.

Naseem Shah is the real deal and every Pakistani is hoping he is the one who will continue the legacy of Pakistan's pace bowling.

But will Misbah and Azhar Ali play him in the first test that starts in 3 days?

Here's a look at some selection decisions that Pakistan will face for the first test against Australia.

THE BOWLING
Mohammad Abbas and Yasir Shah are sure starters in the 4-man bowling attack that Pakistan will field in the first test against Australia at Brisbane.

That leaves two spots and a choice between Shaheen Afridi, Imran Khan, Naseem Shah, and Muhammad Musa.

Musa impressed in the 2-day game against Cricket Australia XI with figures of 2-32 in his 14 overs. He generated quite a but of pace too, consistently bowling in the 140s.

Shaheen has been on a comeback trail and had a good outing against Australia A, picking up 2-42 in 16 overs in the first innings and 1-22 in 9 overs in the second.

Imran Khan was the star of the first practice game with sterling figures of 5-32.

But the talk of the town has been Naseem Shah!

So who gets to play come Thursday?

It will be a tough choice for the Pakistan team management. I think Imran Khan and Shaheen Afridi would be the wise choice, but I really want to see Naseem Shah in the XI.

While Pakistan's bowling does look exciting, its ability to pick 20 Australian wickets is debatable.

THE BATTING
In fact, I believe that Pakistan's batting will shine in the upcoming test series and it will be the bowlers who will struggle against the Aussie batting.

Babar Azam has been in wonderful touch. He kicked off the T20s with two 50s and then followed that up with an unbeaten 150 odd against Australia A. He dominated an international level bowling attack and played some stunning strokes in that innings, leaving everyone in awe of his talent and form.



Iftikhar Ahmed has also been in great form since his comeback to the side in the home series against Sri Lanka. In Australia, he played a brutal unbeaten knock of 62 of only 30 odd deliveries in the last T20, and in the 3-day match against Australia A, he again played an unbeaten knock of 79. Bowlers have found it extremely difficult to dismiss him, and all his unbeaten knocks have catapulted his average in T20 Internationals to a whopping 75!



Asad Shafiq, the mainstay of Pakistan's Test batting line up for the past many years, has warmed up for the test series with centuries in each of the practice matches. He scored an unbeaten 119 against Australia A, where he was involved in an unbroken partnership of 276 with Babar Azam. He followed that up with another unbeaten knock of 101 against Cricket Australia XI, where again he put on a century partnership with Babar.

The openers Shan Masood and Imam Ul Haq have also warmed up well. Shan managed scores of 65 and 76 in the two matches, while Imam played a solitary innings of 44.

The only batsmen not to find any form were Pakistan's new Test Captain, Azhar Ali, and Haris Sohail. Azhar scored 11 and 1 in the two innings against Australia A and then sat out the match against CA XI. While Haris has scores of 18, 2, and 4 in the three innings he played in these practice games. Haris also had a very disappointing T20 series.

THE PLAYING XI
Even though Haris Sohail scored a 147 in the last test series he played for Pakistan, I feel his struggle in Australia is real and he should sit out the first test. Moreso because Iftikhar Ahmed has been in red hot form and deserves to add to his solitary test cap.

The other 5 batsmen pick themselves.

The bowling, as mentioned above is the tricky part, however I am sold on the excitement generated by Naseem Shah, and I feel Pakistan should play two bowlers who bowl in the 140s, rather than two who bowl in the 130s.

I am not convinced with Mohammad Rizwan's ability to shine in international cricket, but there is no choice really. Abid Ali, while a far superior batsman, is not an international level wicket keeper. One needs a specialist for Test matches.

Here's my XI for the first test: 1. Shan Masood 2. Imam Ul Haq 3. Azhar Ali 4. Babar Azam 5. Iftikhar Ahmed 6. Asad Shafiq 7. Mohammad Rizwan 8. Yasir Shah 9. Shaheen Afridi 10. Mohammad Abbas 11. Naseem Shah

Can't wait for this Test Series to start already!

With the test retirements of Mohammad Aamer and Wahab Riaz, Pakistan's selectors had to look into the trenches to find able replacements for the upcoming Test tour to Australia.

The Chief Selector, Misbah Ul Haq, surprised everyone when he named young pacers, Naseem Shah and Muhammad Musa, and the domestic spin stalwart, Kashif Bhatti in Pakistan's Test squad.

Niether of them have played international cricket yet.


Also returning to the fold was Imran Khan Snr, who has appeared in 9 tests for Pakistan but last appeared for them three years ago!

These 4 join the experienced Yasir Shah, and somewhat experienced Mohammad Abbas and Shaheen Afridi, in a 7 man attack that is part of Pakistan's Test squad for the two tests against Australia.

These 7 have played 61 tests collectively. Nathan Lyon alone has played 91!

Talk about inexperience, that too for a place like Australia.

We all are aware of what Yasir, Abbas, and Shaheen are capable of. Here is a look at what made the selectors include the other 4 in the squad.

KASHIF BHATTI
He is 33 and has been around the domestic scene for 12 years now.

A left arm finger spinner, Kashif has a very impressive domestic record, having picked up 327 wickets in 83 first class matches at an average of 22.8 and economy of 2.6. He is quite handy with the bat too averaging 24.2 in these 83 FC matches with 10 fifties and 2 hundreds.

Kashif has represented Hyderabad in the domestic circuit and in the newly revamped domestic circuit he is part of the Sindh team.

In the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Kashif has played 3 matches in which he has picked up 10 wickets at an average of 27.4 and economy of 2.04!

He not only has wicket taking ability but can also stop the flow of runs, which as we know is what Misbah likes for choking the opposition in Test cricket.

In recent times, Pakistan's spinners have started their International careers in the 30s, including legends like Saeed Ajmal and Yasir Shah. It is the same for Kashif who has finally got his chance; he would be looking forward to getting an opportunity in Australia.

NASEEM SHAH
He is the most exciting name in Pakistan's line up in my view. Naseem is only 16 and he is extremely fast!

He made his first class debut only a year ago and has played a mere 5 first class games. However the impression he has made in those games is good enough to give him a crack at International cricket in a place where the wickets are the fastest in the world.

In 5 FC matches, Naseem has picked up 17 wickets at an average of 18.7 and economy of 2.9.

In the ongiong Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, he is representing Central Punjab and he is the second highest wicket taker among pacers with 9 wickets at an average of 26.2.

Naseem is a very exciting prospect and he would relish the opportunity to have a go at the Australian batsmen in Brisbane and Adelaide.

For those wondering who Naseem Shah is #AUSvPAK #Cricket pic.twitter.com/wLzeUzkBav

— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) October 21, 2019

MUHAMMAD MUSA
He is another young tearaway at 19 years old and we all saw him turn out for Islamabad United in the PSL earlier this year.

But why he is in Pakistan's test squad, I am not too sure.

For his 17 wickets, he averages 37.5 in 7 First Class matches and in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, his 5 wickets have cost him 68.4 per wicket.

I understand he is an exciting prospect and probably has a bright future ahead of him, but there are so many other pacers in the domestic circuit, who are currently doing so much better in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, who could have been considered for the Australia tour.

Just to name a few, the likes of Sameen Gul, Haris Rauf, Tabish Khan and Ehsan Adil have been quite impressive in the QeT, and definitely far better than Musa has been.

IMRAN KHAN (Snr)
I also do not understand what has resulted in a recall for Imran Khan. He has not had a good QeT with 5 wickets in 4 matches at an average of 54.8. He has not done much in the 3 years that he has been out of Pakistan's Test side. Nor does his Test average of over 30 make it seem like he was dropped unfairly.

Then why is he back when there are so many more talented pacers in Pakistan?

While Naseem and Kashif are inspired selections and both represent players with immense potential who can deliver for Pakistan; Musa and Imran Khan selections do not make much sense.

I am most excited about Naseem Shah and hope he gets a chance to play at least one of the test matches down under.

Pakistan are playing their first series since the World Cup, and while the results in ODIs were heartening, the team has been disastrous in the format in which they have been the top ranked side for some time now.

Before I talk about the series against Sri Lanka, I also want to take note of what happened during Pakistan's off season.

Pakistan got a new chief selector, they got a new head coach who is also the chief selector, got a new bowling coach too who is also the former head coach and former bowling coach, a new domestic structure was put in place, the newly designed Quaid-e-Azam Trophy kicked off, and as always there was an unlimited supply of drama, conjecture, and memes ... 

Misbah Ul Haq at the Helm ...Again!
For 7 years he ruled Pakistan cricket as captain. During that time, Pakistan's Test team reached unprecedented heights, but ODI and T20I cricket suffered like never before.

I feel the same may happen during his time as Head Coach. He is the best person for the job when it comes to Test Cricket, and given the start of the first ever World Test Championship, the timing could not have been more ideal for Misbah to take charge of Pakistan's Test Team.

But we also have two World T20 tournaments in the next two years, and for that I fear Misbah is perhaps not the right man to be coaching the team.

We can ignore ODIs for now as that is what all nations seem to be doing for the next two years.

Head Coach is also Chief Selector
Misbah is not only Pakistan's new Head Coach, he is also the new Chief Selector. This is the first time that anyone has been given this dual responsibility and it makes Misbah the most accountable person in Pakistan Cricket.

Not to mention the most Powerful too.

Pakistan, by all means, has become Misbah's team.

Only time will tell whether this dual role works or not, but in my view this structure has more merits than flaws.

Giving Misbah this dual role has taken away the blame game that has plagued Pakistan cricket for ages. Considering the close relationship between Captain and Coach, they will always get the squad that they want - which is great for Pakistan.

Waqar Younis is Back!
Again!? After several failed stints as head coach and bowling coach, Waqar is back as the new bowling coach of Pakistan. Not sure what Azhar Mahmood did wrong, neither sure of why we had to go back to Waqar rather than bringing in someone fresh.

Waqar has not had a good past as a coach. Pakistan has not had a good time with him as coach.

The only positive out of this is that Misbah and Waqar share a good working relationship.

Hopefully this time Waqar can focus on improving Pakistan's pacers and not worry about power struggles.

The New Domestic Cricket Structure
For 3 decades, Imran Khan has been voicing his opinion on how Pakistan's domestic cricket needs to be improved in order to achieve International success.

All these years, no one implemented Imran Khan's suggestions. But now that he is the Prime Minister, he can ensure that his plans are implemented.

The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Pakistan's premier first-class domestic competition, featuring 6 regional teams under the new structure kicked off. Imran Khan believed that this format will provide for more quality cricket and will develop better cricketers for international cricket.

I am not too sure that has happened. But what we have seen is a number of tons and big scores by batsmen!

On the opening day, Sami Aslam and Abid Ali cracked unbeaten double centuries. Salman Butt even followed it up with one. Ashfaq Ahmed from KPK has already hit 3 centuries in as many matches, including a 173! International Azhar Ali, Kamran Akmal, and Mohammad Rizwan have both knocked two centuries each. And a number of others have scored tons too including Imam Ul Haq, Shan Masood, Khurram Manzoor, Mohammad Nawaz, Asif Ali, Fawad Alam, Adnan Akmal, and several others.

No bowler has really stood out. Yasir Shah is leading the wicket tally, but he has leaked so many runs resulting in a 40+ average, which at domestic level is quite mediocre. The finger spinners, Zafar Gohar and Bilal Asif have better returns and are a wicket behind Yasir.

Rahat Ali is the only pacer with some decent returns, but I refuse to mention any thing more about him.

While batsmen continue to make merry in the domestic circuit, they have struggled big time against Sri Lanka - particularly in the T20s.

Series vs Sri Lanka
Pakistan's first ODI assignment after the World Cup was a cakewalk. Their main batsmen - Babar, Imam, Fakhar, and Haris - all scored runs. When Abid Ali got an opportunity, he showed why he should be a regular in the ODI XI. And Iftikhar Ahmed, who seems to be the replacement for Shoaib Malik/Mohammad Hafeez, displayed enough potential to get a longer run with the team.

Iftikhar was there at the end in both the games finishing off Pakistan's innings in style.

Pakistan put up a score and defended it, and they also chased one down. Both with quite some ease.

ODIs won 2-0. Job Done. All praise for new support staff and Pakistan who took their ODI winning streak to 7.

Considering this performance, the T20s should have been a walk in the park. After all Pakistan are the #1 T20 team in the World. They have won more T20s and more T20 series than any other team in the past 2-3 years. They have beaten all comers, easily and comprehensively.

Yet, a new look Sri Lanka side has thrashed them in the first two T20s.

Prodigal Sons Return
The T20 series started on the worst possible foot with the inclusion of Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal in the T20 squad.

I ignored it thinking that the presence of Babar, Fakhar, Haris, Asif Ali, Iftikhar, Nawaz, Imad, and the skipper Sarfraz would mean that Shehzad and Akmal will only warm the benches.

But no. They played. They played both T20s. They failed in both T20s.

What else was anyone expecting?

Shehzad and Akmal have been around for 10 years now, having made their International debut in 2009. This is enough time to realize that they will never fulfill the potential of their immense talent at this level. It is time to leave them forever in the domestic structure. It is fine, International cricket is not for them.

Had Pakistan invested this much time and  money in some other batsmen, they would be reaping the benefits by now.

I don't know what Misbah was thinking when including them in the squad and then in the playing XI. I don't know what Sarfraz was thinking when backing them. But at least we all know now that it is game over for them. Forever.

With Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez returning from the CPL and available for future T20 series, there will be no place for Shehzad and Akmal anyway.

Iftikhar is a good talent and he has shown in the 3 innings he has played so far that he is one for the long haul.

I hope Misbah has a better time when selecting and coaching the team for Australia !

Imran Khan was perhaps the last Pakistani cricketer who retired with grace after accomplishing what no one before him had.

And now, after all these years, another Khan and another Niazi, have bid farewell to the game like no one before them. One after a series where he became the first Pakistani batsman to reach 10,000 test runs; the other after becoming the first Pakistani captain to win a test series in the Caribbean.

These two feats are just the icing over the unparalleled careers that the two legends, Younis Khan and Misbah Ul Haq, have had.

I don't think any Pakistani cricketer got a send off as grand and as epic as these two did, and boy did they deserve it!

Talk about an epic farewell series.

Talk about an epic last test match of your career.

Even if one had put the best writers to task, no one would have scripted the end better than the way it folded in front of our eyes during the last session at Windsor Park in Dominica last night.

Pakistan had waited 60 years for this victory. Imran Khan had spent half his career trying to achieve this victory.

Surely it is not the same West Indies; but it hasn't been for two decades now and yet Pakistan never managed to win a series there.

Till last night.

The last hour, while Roston Chase blocked and blocked and blocked, all those memories of bad umpiring decisions, missed run outs, lost opportunities came haunting back.

That hour was so nerve wrecking for us fans that one can only imagine what Misbah, Younis, and the other nine men on the field would have been going through.

Anything less than a win would have been such a depressing end to two legendary careers.

Anything less than a win would have meant that Pakistan lost the best chance they had at a series win in the Caribbean.

Pakistan held on though.

They held on to their belief and they kept fighting.

You could see the Pakistanis flustered though. Yasir was running in faster, bowling a little faster and flatter, almost as if he was in some hurry. Probably to get in as many overs as possible.

Till that final delivery.

All nine fielders moved in closer.

They were all right under Gabriel's nose.

Everyone knew the importance of that delivery, but no one more than Yasir.

He delivered it a bit slower than the rest of his over.

It came looping down enticing Gabriel.

And the rest ...

What an end seriously. What an epic end for Misbah and Younis.

The world is coming down
The flags are up
Whose gonna be number one
Whose gonna take out the cup
Who will it be?
Who will be the King?
It is a once in a lifetime chaaaaance
Who'll rule the world
Gotta see who'll rule the world


25th March 1992.

Today marks the 25th anniversary of that magical World Cup win for Pakistan. After all these years, I have that day (and the days leading up to it) engraved in memory.

No one expected Pakistan to be in the Final in 1992, let alone win it. It was a typical Pakistani comeback and win, a win against all the odds, a win when no one expected it, a win that placed Pakistan at the top of the world.

Around the middle of the World Cup 1992, I remember Newspaper headlines saying "Pakistan going home early", "Pakistan's World Cup chances over", "Imran Khan's dream ends". Everyone thought Pakistan's World Cup campaign was over.

Except Imran Khan. He kept saying that this World Cup was Pakistan's.

It is quite possible that because of that improbable World Cup win (and Miandad's 6 in 1986) that some Pakistan cricket fans today still believe that the impossible is achievable in every game Pakistan plays.

The passion still burns with abundance fire!

I remember the day before the final in 1992. After coming back from school, I begged my parents to let me skip school the next day, a Wednesday (25.03.1992) so that I could watch the final.

I don't think I have ever asked my parents to let me skip school with an honest reason. It was always "pait ka dard"!

But this was cricket. It was the World Cup. It was the Final. And it was Pakistan!

My parents firmly said no.

The match was supposed to start in the morning around the time I would leave for school.

I begged and cried to no avail.

I went to bed that night sulking thinking I'll miss Pakistan's most important cricket match ever.

As on every other school day, my mother woke me up on the morning of 25th March 1992.

As I glanced towards the wall clock, it was past the time that school would start.

I don't think I have ever woken up happier.

I don't know which one of my parents decided that I could skip school that day, but I did. As did my brother.

My father skipped work. As did many of his friends, a lot of whom were over at our place in Abu Dhabi, ready for Pakistan's biggest game ever.

We were all glued to Channel 33, the lifeline of Television in the UAE in those days; it provided all of our entertainment from cartoons, to soap operas, comedy shows, Bollywood movies, Wimbledon finals, and now the final of the World Cup 1992.

All the way from Imran Khan sporting a white t-shirt with a tiger on it to what he said at the toss ...


... the quick loss of Rameez Raja and Aamer Sohail, Imran Khan and Javed Miandad's partnership, Imran's six, Miandad's reverse sweep, Inzamam Ul Haq and Wasim Akram's aggressive finish ...


... Botham's dismissal and Aamer Sohail's finger pointing, Mushtaq Ahmed's spell, Aaquib Javed's catch, Wasim Akram's two magical deliveries ...



... Moin Khan's catch and run-out, Rameez Raja's catch, Aamer Sohail and Zahid Fazal's sajdas, Imran Khan's raised arms ...


... Imran and Miandad's hug, Wasim Akram's man of the match award ...


... Imran Khan lifting the World Cup and his speech ...


... everything, absolutely everything is engraved in memory even today.

I even remember the scorecard of the match!

What a day it was.

When it all ended, the evening was spent rejoicing. Even more so because Thursday and Friday was the weekend so school was far far away :-)


There was no internet back then so we had to wait the next day for the newspaper to land at our doorstep to read all the coverage.

I still have the front page of Khaleej Times from the morning after, 26th March 1992.


Pakistan was indeed on top of the world.

It has been 25 years, but the memories are still fresh.

25th March 1992.

It was an unforgettable day! Pakistan's most memorable day of cricket!

Misbah Ul Haq is currently captaining Pakistan in a test match for the 49th time, 1 more than the number of times Imran Khan captained Pakistan.

Misbah has not only captained Pakistan in more matches than anyone before him, he has also won more and scored more than any Pakistan captain before him. On many other fronts, he has surpassed all other captains from not only Pakistan, but also the subcontinent! He is undoubtedly at the helm of the most successful test team Pakistan has ever had, and is without a doubt the best test captain Pakistan has ever had.

1. Most Successful Asian Captain

While there are a few captains from around the world who have had far more success, Misbah is the clear leader among all captains from the subcontinent.

With 24 wins, he is well ahead of Imran Khan and Javed Miandad, and just behind MS Dhoni who registered 27 test wins.

However, in terms of series wins, Misbah now has 10, which is the most by a captain from the subcontinent. The current series win over the West Indies took Misbah ahead of Dhoni and Ganguly who has 9 series wins each.

2. Most Successful Pakistan Captain

Misbah has 10 more test victories than Imran Khan and Javed Miandad did as captains. He is well ahead of them, and will remain as Pakistan's most successful captain ever for a long time to come.

The past 6 years under Misbah have been magical for the test team. There is a stark difference between Pakistan's performance in the 6 years before Misbah and the 6 years under him.

3. Most Successful Batsman as a Pakistan Test Captain

Out of all Pakistan test captains who have batted in at least 20 innings, Misbah has the most runs, highest average, most hundreds, and most fifties.

He is at the top of the pile and will probably remain there for a very long time.

4. Best Test Average among all Test Captains

Among all captains who have batted in at least 75 test innings, only Brian Lara averages more than Misbah does.

5. Most Runs as Captain Batting at Number 5

Which test captains are most remembered for their sterling batting performances at number 5?

For me, Steve Waugh tops the list. Inzamam, Allan Border, Arjuna Ranatunga, and Hansie Cronje also come to mind.

Misbah is above all of these names and many others as a batsman at number 5 while captaining his team. He has more runs than anyone else, and only Michael Clarke averages more than him as a number 5 test batsman as captain.

6. Most Century Partnerships and Partnership Runs for Pakistan

When Misbah ul Haq and Younis Khan posted their 15th century partnership during the second test against the West Indies, they also went past Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf's record tally of 3,137 partnership runs for Pakistan.

Misbah and Younis now stand 5th in the world in terms of most century partnerships ever in test cricket. Not to mention that they are right at the top for Pakistan.

Their average is also right up there with very few pairs of batsmen (Hobbs & Sutcliffe and Langer 7 Ponting) ahead of them.

To think that Misbah has achieved most of this after the age of 35 is nothing short of remarkable. Most captains have retired before that age. Misbah is 42 now and still going strong, creating record after record for Pakistan in test cricket.

He has captained them to the top of the rankings (currently at two), he has led them to victories over all nations in the UAE where Pakistan remain unbeaten for 6 years, and he has created one of the most successful test sides in the history of the game.

Misbah is captain magnificent.

There was a time when host nations just could not win the ICC World Cup. That trend was disrupted by India who held aloft the World Cup trophy in Mumbai in 2011, and now Australia have joined them after doing the same at the MCG in 2015. And while doing so, Australia also achieved numerous other remarkable distinctions

It is an unprecedented 5th ICC World Cup win for Australia. They have now won the World Cup in every continent that has hosted one, and probably every continent that will ever host an ICC World Cup.

They have appeared in an ICC World Cup Final in every decade since the inception of the World Cup in the 70s and have won at least 1 World Cup in every decade besides the 70s.

11 World Cups. 7 Finals. 5 Titles. Talk about dominating a sport. There is absolutely no cricketing nation like Australia.

Interestingly however, Australia is the only ICC World Cup Champion that did not win the World Cup in their first ever appearance in a Final. All the other champions - West Indies, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka - won the World Cup when they appeared in the Final for the first time.

There was an achievement for Darren Lehmann too, who became the first person to win an ICC World Cup as a player (1999) and as a coach (2015). Given the number of World Cups Australia wins, there might be some more players who will join Lehmann in achieving this feat in the future.

The build up to this World Cup for Pakistan fans was all about repeating the feat of 1992, the last time the World Cup was held in Australia & New Zealand when Imran Khan led Pakistan to an unlikely first ever win.

The hashtag #LetsRedo92 trended all over social media networks and fans went crazy citing similarities between 1992 and 2015.

What they probably forgot was that other teams may also be looking to do the same! i.e. #Redo92 !

Now that the ICC World Cup 2015 is over, one can easily look back and see why in fact it was like 1992 all over again.

1. In 1992, 89,000+ spectators at the MCG for the final broke the world record for attendance on a single day of cricket in Australia. In 2015, 93,000+ spectators at the MCG for the final broke the world record for attendance on a single day of cricket in Australia.

2. In 1992, Pakistan's captain Imran Khan top scored for his team with 72 and led Pakistan to victory in the World Cup Final in his last ever ODI appearance. In 2015, Australia's captain Michael Clarke top scored for his team with 74 and led Australia to victory in the World Cup Final in his last ever ODI appearance.

3. In 1992, Wasim Akram, a left arm paceman, picked up 3 wickets in the Final and was declared Man of the Match. In 2015, James Faulkner, a left arm paceman, picked up 3 wickets in the Final and was declared Man of the Match.

4. In 1992, Javed Miandad was Pakistan's top scorer in the World Cup with 437 runs at an average of 62.42 and he scored a 50 in the Final. In 2015, Steve Smith was Australia's top scorer in the World Cup with 402 runs at an average of 67.00 and he scored a 50 in the Final.

5. In 1992, New Zealand's Martin Crowe was the leading run scorer in the World Cup. In 2015, New Zealand's Martin Guptill was the leading run scorer in the World Cup.

6. In 1992, Wasim Akram, a left arm fast bowler and part of the World Cup winning team, was the leading wicket taker of the World Cup. In 2015, Mitchell Starc, a left arm fast bowler and part of the World Cup winning team, was the leading wicket taker of the World Cup.

7. In 1992, New Zealand dominated the World Cup beating every opposition except the eventual World Cup Champions, Pakistan. In 2015, New Zealand dominated the World Cup beating every opposition except the eventual World Cup Champions, Australia.

8. In 1992, Wasim Akram, Pakistan's left armer, came back for another spell in the middle of the innings and took two wickets in one over to take Pakistan ahead in the Final. In 2015, James Faulkner, Australia's left armer, came back for another spell in the middle of the innings and took two wickets in one over to take Australia ahead in the Final.

9. In 1992, Pakistan's Captain and Vice Captain were involved in a century partnership for the 3rd wicket. In 2015, Australia's Captain and Vice Captain were involved in a century partnership for the 3rd wicket.

10. In 1992, the 3rd highest run scorer of the World Cup was Peter Kirsten of South Africa. In 2015, the 3rd highest run scorer of the World Cup was AB De Villiers of South Africa.

11. In 1992, South Africa lost in the Semi Final to England who lost the Final. In 2015, South Africa lost in the Semi Final to New Zealand who lost in the Final.

12. In 1992, Pakistan reached their first ever World Cup Final after completing an improbable chase in the Semi Final at Eden Park. In 2015, New Zealand reached their first ever World Cup Final after completing an improbable chase in the Semi Final at Eden Park.

I'm sure we can find many more similarities if we keep looking, but it wasn't like 1992 the way we wanted it for Pakistan. It sure was for Australia, who are absolutely the best cricket nation this world has seen.

I don't think any other team has dominated a sport the way Australia has dominated cricket. Brazil comes to mind. They have also played in 7 FIFA World Cup titles, won 5 of them, and won them across 4 continents. However, that has come over 20 tournaments, as compared to 11 for Australia. If anything, Australia has been twice as dominant in cricket than Brazil has in Football. Australia's run also includes three consecutive World Cup wins, something Brazil has not managed.

Talk about dominating a sport. Salute to Australia!

Pakistan's pace bowling legacy rests on the shoulders of the two Ws, who without a doubt, are a class above other pacers that have played the game. With over 1700 collective international wickets, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis destroyed many a batting line up and to date remain the best fast bowlers to ever play for Pakistan. Arguably, the best in the world too.

Since they left cricket over 10 years ago, Pakistan has produced plenty of fast bowlers who have tried to live up to the legacy of the two Ws. Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Asif, and Mohammad Aamer all showed glimpses of potential that could have taken them to the same heights, but their flaws had the better of them. Aamer may still have the chance, bur the former two will always be a what if for Pakistan cricket.

However, this World Cup gave Pakistan a hero. A very unlikely bowling hero in another W - Wahab Riaz!

Not only was Wahab Pakistan's leading wicket taker in the World Cup 2015, but against Australia he produced one of the most lethal fast bowling spells seen in the tournament, and arguably ever in ODIs. His first two overs produced wickets of David Warner and Michael Clarke, and his next 4 overs were purely hostile.

Wahab's contest with Shane Watson is being talked about all over the world and it will forever be remembered as the best contest within a World Cup game. If were not for a dropped sitter at fine leg, Wahab may have won the match for Pakistan, and he may have taken them all the way.

Wahab has had a chequered career. His 5 for in Mohali 4 years ago was a high point in his career, but in the four years since, he produced little for Pakistan, mostly failing to live up to the hype around him. He remained in and out of the Pakistan side, and largely remained a fast bowler who was easily hit around.

In this World Cup however, Wahab picked himself up and raised his game to another level. He beat Zimbabwe single handedly and gave Pakistan a classic old fashion victory against South Africa. Both those performances came in must win pressure games for Pakistan.

And then there was the spell against Australia.

Wahab's career figures don't say much. An average of over 30 and a strike rate of over 32 are hardly pleasing. But his World Cup figures are legendary,


He is already the 4th highest wicket taker for Pakistan among pacers in World Cup matches. Only Wasim Akram, Imran Khan, and Shoaib Akhtar have more wickets than him. And he has played far lesser matches than the them.

Wahab's average among Pakistan's pacers in World Cup matches is bettered by only Waqar Younis (slightly) and Imran Khan. He averages better than Wasim Akram, better than Shoaib Akhtar.

And his Strike Rate is unmatched. A wicket every 25 deliveries puts Wahab head and shoulders above all other Pakistan bowlers in World Cups.

In this World Cup, Wahab Riaz played with passion and aggression, and it was heartening for everyone to see a Pakistan pace bowler give his heart and soul to the team's cause.

Pakistan may have lost the World Cup, but they have undoubtedly found a World Champion.

Every Pakistani fan out there is desperate to grasp on to some sign with a similarity to 1992 and dream about Pakistan lifting the ICC World Cup once again.

In reality the similarity between the World Cup in 1992 and the one about to start in 2015 ends with the fact that both tournaments had the same host nations, Australia and New Zealand.

But for the overzealous and ever optimistic Pakistani fans, the similarities only begin with that fact.

There is so much desperate hope among the fans that even the sad news of Junaid Khan missing out due to injury was met with optimism with fans referring to 1992 when Waqar Younis was ruled out on the eve of the World Cup due to injury.

1992: Strike bowler injured and ruled out, yet Pakistan won. 2015: Strike bowler injured and ruled out, so Pakistan must win.

The references to the 1992 World Cup don't end there.

1. A 40 year old Niazi from Mianwali captained Pakistan in his last World cup in 1992. A 40 year old Niazi from Mianwali is captaining Pakistan in his last World Cup in 2015.

(Anyone thought about the fact that one of them is the greatest cricketer ever produced by the country?)

2. Nawaz Sharif was the Prime Minister of Pakistan in 1992. Nawaz Sharif is the Prime Minister of Pakistan in 2015.

(Does it matter that he was useless then and he is useless now?)

3. Pakistan wore bright green jerseys in 1992. Pakistan are wearing bright green jerseys in 2015.

(You know, they wore bright green jerseys in 1999 too; remember what happened then?)

4. Pakistan's squad had two leg spinners in 1992. Pakistan's squad has two leg spinners in 2015.

(And I am also a leg spinner; so?)

5. Moin Khan was there in 1992. Moin Khan is there in 2015.

(There's some difference between what one can do on the field and off it, isn't there?)

6. Javed Miandad was not part of the initial plans for 1992. Younis Khan was not part of the initial plans for 2015.

(And what about the fact that one is arguably the best batsman produced by the country while the other is a mediocre ODI player at best?) 

7. Pakistan had a left handed batsman named Sohail who bowled handy left arm spin in 1992. Pakistan have a left handed batsman named Sohail who bowls handy left arm spin in 2015.

(Hey wait a second... we have a fast bowler named Sohail as well this time!)

8. Pakistan's pace attack was led by a left arm fast bowler in 1992. Pakistan's pace attack is led by a left arm fast bowler in 2015.

(Do you not know that we have a left arm fast bowler named Wahab Riaz as well?)

9. Pakistan had a relatively new hard hitting batsman from Multan in 1992. Pakistan have a relatively new hard hitting batsman from Multan in 2015.

(I guess it counts for little that Imran Khan had full faith in Inzamam's abilities and that Misbah doesn't even think that Sohaib warrants a place in the starting XI.)

10. Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital was under construction in Lahore in 1992. Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital is under construction in Peshawar in 2015.

(It probably doesn't matter that the man behind building the hospital was also the man behind Pakistan winning the World Cup in 1992.)

Can someone please wake the Pakistan fans up from their 23-year old slumber and knock some sense into them and bring them back to reality that is 2015. We are not in 1992 people, we do not have the Javed Miandads, Inzamams, or Wasim Akrams in the team, and we are not being led by the greatest captain the country has had in its entire cricket history.

We are in 2015, where Pakistan is a below average ODI team, which has not won an ODI series all season. We are in 2015, where Pakistan is the number 7 ranked ODI team in the world; their lowest ranking ever in the history of the game.

I'm not saying that Pakistan cannot win the World Cup.

The format is such that they can. A quarter final entry is all but guaranteed for the top 8 ranked teams and from thereon it is anybody's game.

So Pakistan is definitely in with a chance. But it is definitely not because there are so many similarities with 1992.

If Pakistan do go all the way and win the title once again, it will be due to a number of other reasons.

1. It will be because it will be the ultimate achievement for a captain that took Pakistan out of the scary depths it had emerged into in 2010.

2. It will be because Misbah will play more than one match saving innings and guide Pakistan home from dire situations.

3. It will be because Shahid Afridi is having one of his most consistent streaks with the bat; he has scored 272 runs in his last 6 ODI innings at an average of 45.33! That is almost double his career average.

4. It will be because it will be the cherry on top of the cake that is Shahid Afridi's glorious career. It will be because Shahid Afridi will single handedly win at least a couple of games for Pakistan.
5. It will be because of all the effort Mohammad Hafeez has put into building this team along with Misbah and Afridi over the past 5 years. It will be because Hafeez has been Pakistan's most consistent opener since Saeed Anwar. It will be because Mohammad Hafeez will happily bash the minnows and take that form with him into the knockouts.
6. It will be because Ahmed Shehzad will continue on from where he left off in 2014, which was by far his best year in international cricket. It will be because Ahmed Shehzad will deliver what he was expected to deliver in 2011.

7. It will be because it will mean redemption for Younis Khan who was so desperate to play this World Cup. It will be because Younis Khan will live up to his word of emulating Javed Miandad. It will be because Younis Khan will play at least one crucial match winning knock for Pakistan.

8. It will be because Umar Akmal will finally shut the critics up once and for all and show the world that he can transform his talent into match winning knocks for Pakistan.

9. It will be because Haris Sohail will put in a few brilliant allround performances and make sure that Pakistan doesn't miss Hafeez the bowler.

10. It will be because Sohaib Maqsood will perfectly script a chase or two for Pakistan.

11. It will be because Sarfraz Ahmed will play some audacious strokes and take a few games away for Pakistan.
12. It will be because batsmen from other teams will have no answer to Mohammad Irfan.

13. It will be because Yasir Shah will spin a web around batsmen.

14. It will be because Sohail Khan, Ehsan Adil, and Wahab Riaz will find the perfect rhythm in favorable conditions.

15. It will be because Pakistan will play like a united team on a mission to provide the perfect send off to its senior players.

So yes, we can win it again. We can be champions again. But its not because of the "similarities" with 1992.

Its because we have the players who can rise to the occasion and bring out their best to once again bring glory for Pakistan!