England in West Indies.
T20s 2014 Lost 2-1.
ODIs 2014 Won 2-1.
Tests 2015 Drew 1-1 (carryover).

England in Sri Lanka.
Tests 2012 Drew 1-1.
ODIs 2014 Lost 5-2 (carryover).

Michael Clarke Led Australia to World T20 2010 final. (12 teams)
Michael Clarke Led Australia to World Cup glory 2015. (14 teams)

Josh Hazlewood MOM in 2010 U19CWC Final vs Pakistan.
Josh Hazlewood MOM in 2015 CWC QF vs Pakistan.

NZ beat WI in 2012 U19CWC QF.
NZ beat WI in 2015 CWC QF.

This Test reminded me of Guyana 2011.

England not making QFs is significantly worse than losing the Ashes 5-0.

Next time England are abroad. Emirates.

2013/14 Winter for England

vs Australia

Lost Ashes 5-0
Lost ODIs 4-1
Lost T20s 3-0

vs West Indies

Won ODIs 2-1
Lost T20s 2-1

World T20

Lost to New Zealand, South Africa and Netherlands. Beat Sri Lanka.

2014/15

Lost 5-2 in Sri Lanka ODIs

Lost 3-0 vs Australia in tri series.
Beat India 2-0 in tri series.

World Cup

Lost to every Test playing nation. 4/4.

West Indies Tests

Drew 1-1

With future ODI tournaments in England in 2017 & 2019. These ODI series teams like NZ & Aus play in England this summer do carry some added significance and some context. Not totally meaningless after the Tests are done as the obvious main part of the tour with this being an Ashes summer. Of course the Ashes themselves and the build up to it.

2 years before the last one. 2 years before the next.

Why is it happening in England again?

1) Replaces proposed ICC Test Championship. A format was considered unworkable.
2) 2013 was a huge success.
3) June 2017 is the available window - not suitable for many better countries than England.
4) Big 3 has taken over cricket. Such Events can only be in India, England or Australia (2015-2023).

Most Finals in this comp

Ind = 3
WI = 3
Aus = 2
NZ = 2
Eng = 2
SA = 1
SL = 1
Pak = 0

Previous Ones in England 

West Indies won it in 2004 in England.
India won it in 2013 in England.
Both defeating the host nation in the final.
Both won it from the jaws of defeat.

Irony

Pak would have qualified for the 2017 Test Championship based on current Test ranking. Only 4 teams.

Pak are struggling to qualify for the 2017 ODI event based on current ODI ranking. 8 team event.

1999 - Last time New Zealand won a Test series in England or a Test Match for that matter.

Pakistan in England For Test Cricket

1954 - Test win at the Oval
1962 - didn't win
1967 - didn't win
1971 - didn't win
1974 - didn't win
1978 - didn't win
1982 - Test win at Lords

1987 - Won 1-0 (5)
1992 - Won 2-1 (5)
1996 - Won 2-0 (3)

2001 - Drew 1-1 (2)
2006 - Lost 3-0 (4)
2010 - Lost 3-1 (4)

Pakistan in England for ICC Events

1975 - First round
1979 - Semis
1983 - Semis
1999 - Finalists

2004 - Semis
2009 - Winners
2013 - First round

Most Test Wins by a Pakistan Captain vs Most Test Wins by a Bangladesh Captain.
3-3 from 8 series. Series record outside UAE. 6-7 in match terms. 3 draws.

28th April at Barbados

2007. CWC Final.
2011. Misbah MOM as Pakistan seal ODI series win.

Top 8 ODI Achievements of his

1) Asia Cup victory 2012
2) Beating Sri Lanka 4-1 in 2011
3) Beat India 2-1 in 2012/13
4) Beat Bangladesh 3-0 in 2011
5) Beat West Indies 3-1 in 2013
6) Beat Sri Lanka 3-2 in 2013
7) Beat South Africa 2-1 in 2013
8) Asia Cup finalists 2014

Top away Test Achievements

1) Beat New Zealand in New Zealand 2011
2) Drawn away vs West Indies 2011
3) Drew two Tests in Sri Lanka 2012
4) Won one off Test Match in Zimbabwe 2011
5) Won 2-0 vs Bangladesh 2011
6) Drew 1-1 vs Zimbabwe 2013

How good a captain is he?

Successful Test Captain in UAE - leading Pakistan in exile.
Successful Captain in Asia Cup tournaments (ODIs) - a tournament where Pakistan have been poor.
Generally clinical vs minnows and associates (27-2 record vs teams outside the top 8 across all).
Successful domestic captain across all formats.
Suitable vice captain of the Pakistan side in the past.

But no outstanding teams results in:
High Profile Overseas Test Series.
ICC Events.
However, at least he individually performed in them.

Misbah - Top Scoring for Pakistan in ODIs

Highlighted = ICC Events

2011

vs NZ 1st game
vs NZ 4th game
vs Sri Lanka
vs India
vs WI 1st ODI
vs WI 3rd ODI
vs SL 5th ODI

2012 - none

2013

vs Ind 3rd ODI
vs SA 1st ODI
vs SA 2nd ODI
vs Scotland
vs West Indies
vs South Africa
vs West Indies 3rd ODI
vs Zimbabwe 1st ODI
vs Zimbabwe 3rd ODI
vs South Africa 4th ODI
vs South Africa 3rd ODI
vs Sri Lanka 5th ODI

2014 - none

2015

vs India
vs Zimbabwe
vs South Africa

Finishing Games

2011

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/473926.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/489213.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/489214.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/489215.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/507995.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/523731.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan-v-sri-lanka-2011/engine/match/530432.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/538069.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/538073.html

2012

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/545656.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/asia-cup-2012/engine/current/match/535796.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/571146.html

http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/474/474056.html

http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/474/474061.html

2013

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/567369.html

http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/524/524601.html

http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/541/541257.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-champions-trophy-2013/engine/current/match/634964.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/645641.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/caribbean-premier-league-2013/engine/match/635221.html

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/649087.html

2014

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/657651.html

2015

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-cricket-world-cup-2015/engine/current/match/806135.html

Pakistan won 7 ODI series in a row in 2011-2012

Pakistan have lost 5 ODI series in a row 2014-15

1) Test Cricket
2) ICC Events
3) Pakistan internationals
4) First Class Cricket
5) U19 ODIs
6) T20 leagues
7) Associate cricket
8) Womens Cricket
9) Club and exhibition cricket

World T20
Women's World T20
World T20 Qualifier

World T20
Women's World T20
World T20 Qualifier
Champions League
County T20

Champions League
County T20
Faysal Bank Super 8s
Faysal Bank T20 full
IPL

Pakistan vs England
Tournaments in England
Cricket at London venues
Cricket from England, South Africa and New Zealand
Sky Sports Cricket

England games
County games
ICC Events
The stuff Athers and Nas cover

Sky Sports
Star Sports
Channel 9
Sky NZ
TMS
The top broadcasters when they cover

Players you like

Commentators you like

The big 5 Test Series
England vs Australia
Pakistan vs England
Pakistan vs India
Pakistan vs West Indies
England vs South Africa

.................

World Cup
Women's World Cup
Under 19 World Cup

World Cup
Champions Trophy
World T20

World Cup
U19 World Cup
Champions Trophy
Asia Cup

World Cup
Champions Trophy
World T20
U19 World Cup
Asia Cup
Women's World T20
Women's World Cup
World T20 Qualifier
World Cup Qualifier
Asian Test Championship
HAS BEEN

World Cup
Champions Trophy
World T20
U19 World Cup
Asia Cup
Women's World T20
Women's World Cup
World T20 Qualifier
World Cup Qualifier
Test Championship (scrapped now)
IS

World Cup
Champions Trophy
World T20
U19 World Cup
Asia Cup
Women's World T20
Women's World Cup
World T20 Qualifier
World Cup Qualifier
Asia Cup Knockout
Test League
Test Championship
SHOULD BE

World Cup
Champions Trophy
World T20
U19 World Cup
Asia Cup

Test Number 1
World Cup
World T20

Ashes. World Cup. World T20.

World Cup
Champions Trophy
World T20
U19 World Cup
Asia Cup
Women's World T20
Women's World Cup
World T20 Qualifier
Asian Test Championship
Test rankings
Player rankings
ICC Awards
(think boycott)

World Cup
Champions Trophy
ODI rankings

World Cup
World T20

........

IPL
CLT20

World Cup Qualifier
World T20 Qualifier
Intercontinental Cup

World Cup
Champions Trophy

World Cup
Champions Trophy
Women's World Cup
Ones every 4 years

.............

Favourite Formats

1) Test Cricket
2) ICC Events
3) T20 series
4) ODI series

For players

1) Test Cricket
2) ICC Events
3) Other Internationals
4) First Class Cricket
5) T20 Leagues
6) List A Cricket

1) High Profile Test Series
2) International Tournaments
3) Low Profile Test Series
4) High Profile ODI Series
5) High Profile T20 Series
6) Low Profile T20 Series
7) Low Profile ODI Series

.................

Favourite of the Big 5

1) World Cup (if a good competition format)
2) U19 World Cup - has a USP, under-age cricket
3) Asia Cup - has a USP, continent trophy
4) Champions Trophy (this becomes no1 in absence of good World Cup format)
5) World T20 - pinnacle of international T20 but I prefer 50 over tournaments like the above 4

Misbah's Captaincy By Season - POSITIVES

2010/11

Drawn Test series vs South Africa
Won Test series in New Zealand

2011 Summer

Drew Test series in West Indies
Won ODIs in Ireland

2011/12

Beat Zimbabwe in all 3 formats
Beat Sri Lanka in all 3 formats
Beat Bangladesh in all 3 formats
Beat England 3-0 in Tests
Won Asia Cup

2012 Summer

Drew 2 Tests in Sri Lanka
Lost 2-1 vs Australia in ODIs

2012/13

Reached Faysal Bank T20 final (14 teams)
Beat India in ODIs
Lost 3-2 in South Africa ODIs
Won the domestic treble

2013 Summer

Beat Scotland and Ireland in ODIs
Beat West Indies in ODIs
Beat Zimbabwe in ODIs

2013/14

Drew Test series vs South Africa
Won ODI series in South Africa
Won ODI series vs Sri Lanka
Drew Test series vs Sri Lanka
Reached domestic T20 final
Reached Asia Cup final
Won Presidents Trophy

2014/15

Beat Australia in Tests
Drew New Zealand in Tests
Won 2 World Cup warm ups
Won 4 in a row at the World Cup

Pakistan Cricket.

Misbah - won 1 of his last 8 Test series
Afridi - not won any of his last 6 T20 series with Waqar coach
New ODI skip - whitewashed first up

Pakistan have won 10 of their last 29 ODIs.
Pakistan have won 7 of their last 26 ODIs against Test teams.
Waqar has won 7 out of 23 ODIs since taking over again.

Pakistan have won 1 of their last 11 series across all formats.
Two average ICC Events in between.

1500 days to go till England's turn in 019.

Pakistan Cricket is not rock bottom. That's harsh. They've been doing well in Test Cricket.

Obviously a person who has 22 ODI 50s in his last 50 ODI innings in a shaky batting line up will be missed from a batting point of view, that re-assuring presence and dependability in the middle order, but here the discussion is about captaincy and one day captaincy.

After 25 ODI assignments in charge which include 21 bilateral series, two continental tournaments, two world tournaments; the post MuH era has started in the one day circuit. We already got a glimpse before since he has left T20 for 3 years now and also didn't feature in neither full ODI series in the UAE in the season just gone, after leading for around 70 ODIs in succession before that, a national record. He has been an ever present figure which is testament to his fitness and passion at such an age, an ever present productive contributor with the bat in tricky situations and an ever present game controller in charge as far as leadership goes of a difficult team to manage historically. Below is an objective analysis of whether he was missed from a captaincy point of view.

First and foremost congratulations to Bangladesh.

BUT.

Transitional period or not. They should not be losing to them.

Yes, other teams have lost here, but conditions are a huge factor for them. Not the same case here.

This series defeat is not a huge surprise. However, it does show that Pakistan's struggles are more deep rooted than just the previous captain as his severe critics are finding out. Some thought they would be world beaters without him and he was standing in their way from becoming a phenomenal unit. I have seen quite a few posters with such thoughts during his enduring time as captain. This is for those who always made him the scapegoat. This is for those who let out their frustrations on him as if there was nothing else wrong with Pakistan Cricket but him. I see quite a few comments such as "Someone will be blaming him for the loss" doing the rounds on social media.

Would he have made a huge difference? In all honesty, from a captaincy perspective, probably not. Under him they have also lost their last four series in this format and lost them badly, often in more familiar conditions. He has only won 5 out of 14 ODI series against the top 8 ranked sides. Lost many more than he has won.

However, he has been clinical against the lesser teams, at least. 7-0 in ODI series against teams outside the top 8. Also, he has a 9-0 captaincy record against Bangladesh in Bangladesh across all formats.

Some of his decision making in selection were dreadful and it got to a stage where I couldn't defend some of his thinking.

It was more of a case that I would have kept him on as ODI captain because of continuity, the fact he is a top class ambassador for Pakistan Cricket in conduct, his own individual contributions and a lack of better alternatives, rather than thinking he was a remarkable one day captain. His one day captaincy was leaving a lot to be desired over his last 8 months or so in the job. He certainly started well as one day captain, 14-1 was his record at one point. But after that it was inconsistent, despite some memorable tours along the way. Since Dav left, it's only gone downhill.

Test Batting Captain = Outstanding.
Test Captain Results = Impressive.

ODI Batting Captain = Phenomenal.
ODI Captain Results = Average.

Overall, a good enough package. Everything can't be perfect. But let's not act as if the team were invincible under his captaincy in one day cricket.

...........

Imran Tahir, Daniel Vettori and Ashwin deserve a lot of credit for the way they bowled in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup. In a high scoring tournament, with only four fielders allowed outside the circle, in conditions where spin doesn't have a huge say and on some small postage grounds in New Zealand.

Being man of the match in South Africa's first ever World Cup Knockout match victory against a country which has a reputation of playing spin well was undoubtedly a special occasion for Imran Tahir and team.

But what is his future in one day cricket? He will be 40 in 2019. Perhaps a tournament too far? Despite being a spinner who started his international career late.

However, the more immediate ICC Events such as the 2016 ICC World T20 and the 2017 Champions Trophy are certainly within his reach.

Obviously he is far superior limited overs bowler than a Test Match bowler. But should conditions in Test Matches suit or should the opposition not be the strongest of teams against spin bowling, perhaps there is a role he can play for Hashim Amla's side in the longer format too.

.............

What use are Test runs if they are used to continuously pressurise the selectors for a place in the one day team where he continuously flops? It's only inevitable that he will continue to get picked in one day teams as long as he plays and scores in Test Cricket unfortunately.

Let's not hide away from the fact that one day cricket is hugely popular in Asia. A lot more people follow it compared to the Tests in this part of the world. It is the pinnacle for many. Competitions are given a lot of importance. Hence success in them is hugely important to maintain interest in the game in the country. This man averages 22 in World Cup Cricket across four editions. He was woefully out of sorts as many expected when it mattered again in the most recent edition, despite throwing a shameless public tantrum to force his way into the reckoning. And yet people compare him with Javed Miandad?

Misbah should have taken a stand and threatened to resign or if he approved of the selection as reports suggest he did, then deserves heavy criticism for senseless selection when it is so obvious to people who can differentiate between formats that he shouldn't have been picked under any circumstances. I get the impression he perhaps even picked him to make his performances look head and shoulders above the rest or picked him on the basis of personal friendships. How else could he have been picked? It's a mystery on cricketing grounds.

I cannot stress how bad a decision it was to take him. It was a costly one. He was a huge culprit with his single digit failures in two demoralising losses to start the campaign. Very little chance to recover from there mentally as a team. If it wasn't a reputable captain, we'd have been calling him a "dummy captain."

As always Pakistan forgotten.
Comes before South Africa.
https://twitter.com/piersmorgan/status/588298976157376513
Even Jimmy Anderson forgot about it once on interview but remembered South Africa.
Pakistan are looked down upon.
Strange because it will be tough for them to win here.
Tough because of:
1) Conditions from England's perspective
2) Pakistan's brilliant record in those conditions
3) Whitewashed last time here

They should beat England.
They will beat England.
England don't do well vs Pakistan away from home.
They don't do well in Asia full stop despite winning their last Asian Test series in India 2012.

England won 3-1 at 2010 at home.
England won 3-0 at 2006 at home.

Pakistan won 3-0 in 2012 at home.
Pakistan won 2-0 in 2005 at home.

England won 1-0 in 2000 away.
Pakistan drew 1-1 in 2001 away.

England's last 10 Tests abroad
DDDDLLLLLD

Preparation for future one day tournaments in England commenced yesterday
Genuine possibility Pakistan will struggle to even qualify for them
Won't be an easy ride for a lowly ranked team

Cheer up - look at the Test rankings

What on Earth is Ajmal doing in the Pakistan side? Will be approaching 42 in 2019. No eye on the future. Not everyone is MuH. He also managed after overcoming several obstacles.

Did they really miss him from a captaincy perspective? Not so sure. Lost his last 4 one day series. Though 9-0 vs BD in BD across all forms. His one day captaincy was leaving a lot to be desired over the last 12 months. 5-9 vs top 8. 7-0 vs minor sides.

Pak in one dayers - won 4/10 this year
Ordinary
Average
Mediocre
Not that good
Never been that good
Not their strongest suit
Shambles

55 of his 79 50+ as skipper
16 50+ in 30 inns in UAE as Test skip

vs SA

First Pak skip to beat them in the Cup
First Pak skip to beat them in a one day series
Drew twice vs them in Tests when no1 or no2 in world
Beat them in a warm up game at Kia Oval

6 50s in last 15 in one dayers
6 50+ in 7 Tests with a century and 2 unbeaten half centuries

All his Test centuries after 33
5 in AD
6 as skip
2 vs Ind as player

Batting is a balance between scoring and survival
In statistical terms average and strike rate
That is the challenge

Ideally you want a high ave and high SR (i.e. average of 47 with SR of 89)
But batting is not that easy
It's not meant to be
Neither should it be
Few very can achieve this
Only the top top players
Cricket would be poorer if everyone could do this for fun

So next best
1) High average and lowish SR (i.e average of 40 with SR of 69)
2) Or modest average and high SR (i.e. average of 26 with SR of 94)

What you don't want is
Modest average and ordinary SR - that is a big no no (i.e. average of 30 with SR of 73)
Lowish average and lowish SR - self explanatory (i.e. average of 21 with SR of 66)

In terms of weighting 60% average 40% SR in terms of importance
50% each way in T20 though as we often see batting index used here

Test Match Cricket resumes tomorrow. England's first Test in nearly eight months. First of 17 Tests which come around thick and fast. 

KP currently playing his first red ball game since the Sydney Test January 2014.

Week in Cricket

Paul Downton sacked as Managing Director.
IPL8 commences.
Great Richie Benaud passes away.
County Cricket commences.

Australia champions in:

Cricket
Hockey
Rugby League
Qualify for the football finals too

Great sporting culture. Not just in cricket. Play with a fierce competitive spirit.

What a strange thing to tweet after Pakistan are eliminated from a one day tournament. https://twitter.com/_saadshafqat/status/579185741420359680

Games Covered

Warne (16)

Australia vs India warm up

Australia vs England
India vs Pakistan
New Zealand vs England
India vs South Africa
West Indies vs Zimbabwe
New Zealand vs Australia
Sri Lanka vs England

Australia vs Afghanistan
West Indies vs India
Australia vs Sri Lanka

Break for golf

Sri Lanka vs South Africa
India vs Bangladesh
Australia vs Pakistan

New Zealand vs South Africa
Australia vs India

Australia vs New Zealand

Richardson (8)

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka
New Zealand vs Scotland
New Zealand vs England
Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan
Afghanistan vs Scotland
New Zealand vs Australia

Pakistan vs UAE
New Zealand vs Afghanistan

Botham (9)

Australia vs England

West Indies vs Ireland
New Zealand vs England
England vs Scotland
Afghanistan vs Scotland 

England vs Sri Lanka
Pakistan vs UAE
Pakistan vs South Africa

2 week break for golf

New Zealand vs West Indies

Atherton (12)

England vs West Indies
England vs Pakistan

Australia vs England
West Indies vs Ireland
New Zealand vs England
England vs Scotland
Ireland vs UAE

England vs Sri Lanka
South Africa vs Ireland
Zimbabwe vs Ireland
England vs Bangladesh
England vs Afghanistan

Australia vs Pakistan

New Zealand vs South Africa

Akram (10)

India vs Pakistan
Zimbabwe vs UAE
West Indies vs Pakistan
Afghanistan vs Scotland

Pakistan vs Zimbabwe
Pakistan vs UAE
Pakistan vs South Africa 
England vs Afghanistan
Pakistan vs Ireland

Australia vs Pakistan

Hussain (7)

Preview show on Sky 13/02/15
India vs Pakistan on Sky
New Zealand vs England on Sky
England vs Scotland on Sky
England vs Sri Lanka on Sky

Ireland vs Zimbabwe
England vs Bangladesh
England vs Afghanistan
Ireland vs Pakistan

India vs Bangladesh

India vs Australia

Australia vs New Zealand 

Dean Jones (7)

Ireland vs UAE
Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh
South Africa vs West Indies
India vs UAE

Scotland vs Bangladesh
India vs Ireland

India vs Bangladesh

Bumble (10)

All six England games
Pakistan vs South Africa
Pakistan vs Ireland
Bangladesh vs Scotland
West Indies vs Ireland

Australia 4-0 in ODIs against England this year. But Ashes in different format and conditions.

Azhar Ali

Play Straight
Keep the ball down
Play within his limitations
Play ball on merit
Adopt a risk free approach
Squeeze the best out of his ability
Focus more on temperament, mental strength, patience and discipline
Prides himself on Test average, long innings, balls faced, difficulties in being dislodged, run quantity

Winning back to back

Cup
West Indies
Australia

Mini
Australia

T20
No one yet but Sri Lanka and Pakistan have played back to back finals

U19
Pakistan

1996, 2011, 2015 - a hosting country won wherever there was a QF system in place