Misbah-ul-Haq's (un)enviable task of maintaining Pakistan's excellent record in New Zealand

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If things can go wrong, they will!

This is what Misbah has to protect as a record

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pakistan go into the N Zealand Test series with the following record in their last 7 Test series:<br>Won 5<br>Drawn 2<br>Lost 0<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZvPAK?src=hash">#NZvPAK</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/796052372271329281">November 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
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So NO losses in NZ in the last 7 Test series.

Pressure on Misbah?
 
No pressure really, he should take confidence from that
 
No pressure really, he should take confidence from that

Well the England tour was bit of "hey we cant go any lower than the last time" so everything was good but this one?
 
Its Pakistan's series to lose. It will be a travesty, if they lose it ( which is entirely possible coz of Pakistan's unpredictable nature).
 
Well the England tour was bit of "hey we cant go any lower than the last time" so everything was good but this one?

In all the Test Series which Pakistan have played in New Zealand, they were only defeated once; way back during the 1984/85 series. Historically we have reigned supreme in NZ and conditions have favoured our strengths, also from a psychological point of view there is no mental barrier which needs to be overcome unlike touring Australia. So I don't see any more pressure on Misbah then he would have for a series in the UAE, it's just another series. We arrive in NZ, thrash NZ and move on to the real cricket in Australia; business as usual.
 
Pakistan havent lost a series in newzealand since 1985.

Certainly excellent record. 1985 was the only time newzealand beat us in a test series in newzealand.

7 series wins , 1 series loss and 4 drawn series.
 
Pakistan havent lost a series in newzealand since 1985.

Certainly excellent record. 1985 was the only time newzealand beat us in a test series in newzealand.

7 series wins , 1 series loss and 4 drawn series.

That 1985 series would have been drawn 1-1, if not for biased kiwi umpires. Newzealand won the final test by only 2 wickets.
 
We have a good record in nz, we should take confidence from it and not be worried about keeping up the record.

The Australian tour is one where we need to show mental strength
 
Let's face it... if we tour well anywhere outside Asia, it has got to be NZ. Generally, NZ bowlers lack the pace to trouble Pakistani batsmen. Also, NZ usually doesn't impose the brand of cricket their neighbors do -- we lose to Aus because of their 'mental disintegration' tactics and the aura that the baggy green cap has. Pak batsmen can't handle pressure, and NZ usually fails to apply pressure on our batsmen.

That being said, NZ has a fantastic cricket team, but their batting faces some of the same problems Pakistanis do. Once they start crumbling, they collapse like a pack of cards. There's quite a few memorable Pakistani fast bowling spells that come to mind that had NZ on the other end of them. Let's hope all our fast bowlers get a 5'fer here! :)
 
This NZ team is probably a lot stronger than a lot of NZ teams Pakistan will have faced away from home.

It will be a very tough ask even to draw this series. The home team clear favourites in my opinion.
 
This NZ team is probably a lot stronger than a lot of NZ teams Pakistan will have faced away from home.

It will be a very tough ask even to draw this series. The home team clear favourites in my opinion.

Plus, Pakistan's success against NZ have come on the back of some great fast bowling spells from Waqar, Wasim, Shoaib and Sami. I don't see Amir and Wahab being so destructive.
 
This NZ team is probably a lot stronger than a lot of NZ teams Pakistan will have faced away from home.

It will be a very tough ask even to draw this series. The home team clear favourites in my opinion.

Stephen Fleming led sides in 2001 and 2003 were stronger than this current kiwi side.
 
In 21 Test Series, New Zealand have only beaten Pakistan twice. Once at home and once away. New Zealand have won only one Test series more then Zimbabwe against Pakistan.
 
I don't think so. The team is in a good space mentally and has all the resources needed to beat New Zealand yet again. What we need is to start strong and get on top of the Kiwis on the first two sessions of day one. Once we're on top, it'll be very difficult for Kane and co to mount a comeback against a confident, talented Pakistan side.
 
Kraiggy Brathwaite has scarred him mentally. He looked lost and had no answers when the West Indian was having a go, same with Darren Bravs.

Williamson is even more mentally weak thankfully and not McCullum, so it will work out.
 
This NZ team is probably a lot stronger than a lot of NZ teams Pakistan will have faced away from home.

It will be a very tough ask even to draw this series. The home team clear favourites in my opinion.

This current NZ is short on confidence and has been struggling for a while. Maybe if we played the NZ of 2014/15 - then they would have been favorites but right now, I would fancy our chances.
 
This will undoubtedly be tough series. All this talk about NZ being low on "confidence", but confidence is about as overrated as the third new ball. NZ have the skill to beat Pakistan, and similarly, Pakistan also have the skill to beat NZ. Pakistan have proven that they aren't as bad as India against the moving ball, so that's definitely an advantage. It will be a hard fought series, and I think it will be 1-1.
 
The 2003 tour stands out in my memory, in particular a ferocious spell of 6-fer by Shoaib Akhtar in Wellington before Yousuf and Inzamam helped pull off a 270+ chase in the 4th inns.
 
Misbah was under more pressure the last time we toured there as skipper as it was a new pakistan team and we were expected to lose and we won 1st test and drew the 2nd quite convincingly.. we have a stronger batting line up in terms of Azhar and Asad being more established now compared to last tour and our bowling will thrive in the kiwi conditions. Pakistan will win series 1-0.
 
Wanna see Amir get a 5-fer in NZ. Hasn't got one since his comeback.
 
Stephen Fleming led sides in 2001 and 2003 were stronger than this current kiwi side.

2001 team vs today's new zealand team: I agree with @Saj, current team is way stronger. Teams listed below.

2001 team's best batsman was Fleming,
2016 - Kane Williamson is better than Fleming. Taylor, second best batsman in contemporary squad, is better than Sinclair or Astle was at that point in Astle's career.

Bowling-wise,
2001 - NZ had average bowlers in Martin and Tuffey. NZ didn't have a high quality spinner in that series.
2016 - Boult especially, but also Southee are a better pair and a real threat to Pakistan in this series, alongside Williamson. They have a decent left-arm spinner now in Santner, and we all know much PK love left-arm spin... Main thing working in our favour is McCullum has retired, and that puts a lot of pressure on Williamson.

2001:
MH Richardson
MD Bell
MS Sinclair
SP Fleming*
NJ Astle
CD McMillan
AC Parore†
JEC Franklin
PJ Wiseman
DR Tuffey
CS Martin

2016:
New Zealand squad Kane Williamson (capt), Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Jimmy Neesham, Jeet Raval, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling
 
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Misbah was under more pressure the last time we toured there as skipper as it was a new pakistan team and we were expected to lose and we won 1st test and drew the 2nd quite convincingly.. we have a stronger batting line up in terms of Azhar and Asad being more established now compared to last tour and our bowling will thrive in the kiwi conditions. Pakistan will win series 1-0.

Yeh remember last time. New team and the draws against SA had some fans angry with them.

But his main captauncy career started from their, as his win against nz even bought ideas in the pcb to make him captain for odi. He was almost made captain for the 2011 world cup
 
Amir has to step up this series if we are to make a difference in this series...

He must get atleast one 5'fer this series...

And no more excuses regarding dropped catches... he's had a fair share of defence regarding his bad luck, alot of top commentators have come to back him.. but unlike a batsmen who only gets one chance to rectify his mistakes, a bowler gets many more chances.. so Amir can't be excluded from criticism if he continues his mediocre show
 
2001 team vs today's new zealand team: I agree with @Saj, current team is way stronger. Teams listed below.

2001 team's best batsman was Fleming,
2016 - Kane Williamson is better than Fleming. Taylor, second best batsman in contemporary squad, is better than Sinclair or Astle was at that point in Astle's career.

Bowling-wise,
2001 - NZ had average bowlers in Martin and Tuffey. NZ didn't have a high quality spinner in that series.
2016 - Boult especially, but also Southee are a better pair and a real threat to Pakistan in this series, alongside Williamson. They have a decent left-arm spinner now in Santner, and we all know much PK love left-arm spin... Main thing working in our favour is McCullum has retired, and that puts a lot of pressure on Williamson.

2001:
MH Richardson
MD Bell
MS Sinclair
SP Fleming*
NJ Astle
CD McMillan
AC Parore†
JEC Franklin
PJ Wiseman
DR Tuffey
CS Martin

2016:
New Zealand squad Kane Williamson (capt), Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Jimmy Neesham, Jeet Raval, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling

But that Stephen Fleming led side during 1999-2007 was quite strong at home. They only lost to Australia and Pakistan at home during that period. No other team was able to beat them in their backyard.
 
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricke...eat-goes-on-black-caps-topsix-in-christchurch

Never has test cricket been played this early in a New Zealand season.

Seven years ago, New Zealand Cricket boldly ventured into November for the first time and sent Pakistan south to Dunedin. It paid off, and Shane Bond helped bowl the Black Caps to victory in a final day thriller, by 32 runs.

The formula's stood up a long time: send the team from much warmer climes south pre-Christmas and watch them freeze. Almost certain victory for the hosts.

It worked last December when Sri Lanka were greeted by sleet in Dunedin and the Black Caps began their home 'summer' with a 122-run win.

In 11 pre-Christmas test season openers in New Zealand, the hosts have lost just one: to Pakistan in December 1995, in Christchurch.

Pakistan return there for Thursday's first test at a different venue, Hagley Oval, with the odds stacked against them. Their only three-day warmup match was washed out without a ball bowled, having spent nine days in Nelson with an occasional outdoor net. Thursday's early forecast is for southerlies, rain and a maximum of 14degC. Welcome to New Zealand in November.

The bookmakers have seventh-ranked New Zealand $1.80 favourites to second-ranked Pakistan's $3.50. That's how much home advantage means this time of year, even for a team with four losses from their last six test series.

That ramps up the pressure on the Black Caps' underperforming top-six, in conditions far removed from India where they melted against quality spin.

Selection's been largely straightforward for coach Mike Hesson, but this 13-man New Zealand squad caused he and co-selector Gavin Larsen headaches.

They made the overdue call to cut the struggling Martin Guptill but were only really bombarded by one player who roared "pick me" in domestic cricket. That was Todd Astle, the 30-year-old batting legspinner who owed his spot to a Mitchell Santner broken wrist but deserved some love after nearly four years in the test wilderness.

Opener Jeet Raval was next opener in line after a prolific last summer - with 84 his best this season in six innings. Experienced trio Brad Wilson, Hamish Rutherford and Luke Woodcock all applied heat with centuries but appears they weren't seriously considered.

Henry Nicholls won the contestable No 5 spot but hardly hammered at the selection door as Hesson had demanded of all the promising batsmen.

Nicholls' 98 against Central Districts at the test venue saved any embarrassment, amid four Plunket Shield scores of 15 or under. Luke Ronchi could argue he was unlucky after being the highest New Zealand runscorer (200 at 33.33) in the 3-0 India series defeat.

Two of New Zealand's brightest batting prospects - both picked for the washed out New Zealand A game against Pakistan - weren't in the conversation. Central's Will Young had a topscore of 52 from five innings and Northern's Bharat Popli a best of 41 in six knocks.

"Around the country we'd like to see greater output from the middle order players. In particular the guys we call players of interest," Larsen said.

"Henry's a fine young player and you don't have to think too far back to the 76 he scored in terrifically challenging conditions against Dale Steyn and company [in August]. We were always keen to get him back in the fold sooner rather than later."

For all that, star batsman Ross Taylor has the biggest spotlight on him against an excellent Mohammad Amir-led Pakistan pace attack and the world's best spinner Yasir Shah. Taylor and Amir are the only returnees from that 2009 Dunedin test.

Taylor struggled in India and seemed to lack a method. His 290 in Perth a year ago was sublime but since then - taking out a flat track run gorge in Zimbabwe - Taylor's gone 16 test innings without a half-century. He's emerged from slumps before, and still boasts an average of 46 from 76 tests.

Things can change in a hurry. Just look at Australia where Adam Voges is under immense pressure and Mitchell Marsh dropped just nine months after they bullied the Black Caps bowlers.

Now the New Zealand bowling looks much healthier and the batting is under scrutiny. Tom Latham and Kane Williamson will carry them strongly but if they're to defend their chilly backyard, New Zealand need serious input from the rest or more awkward selection meetings loom ahead of the big series against South Africa.
 
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Ok now pay attention to above:

"Never has test cricket been played this early in a New Zealand season.

Seven years ago, New Zealand Cricket boldly ventured into November for the first time and sent Pakistan south to Dunedin. It paid off, and Shane Bond helped bowl the Black Caps to victory in a final day thriller, by 32 runs.

The formula's stood up a long time: send the team from much warmer climes south pre-Christmas and watch them freeze. Almost certain victory for the hosts.

It worked last December when Sri Lanka were greeted by sleet in Dunedin and the Black Caps began their home 'summer' with a 122-run win.

In 11 pre-Christmas test season openers in New Zealand, the hosts have lost just one: to Pakistan in December 1995, in Christchurch.

Pakistan return there for Thursday's first test at a different venue, Hagley Oval, with the odds stacked against them. Their only three-day warmup match was washed out without a ball bowled, having spent nine days in Nelson with an occasional outdoor net. Thursday's early forecast is for southerlies, rain and a maximum of 14degC. Welcome to New Zealand in November.

The bookmakers have seventh-ranked New Zealand $1.80 favourites to second-ranked Pakistan's $3.50. That's how much home advantage means this time of year, even for a team with four losses from their last six test series."
 
20+ years without a Test series loss in NZ | The proud record under serious threat

Sadly, this is the first time in so many years Pakistan is looking vulnerable going into the decider in NZ.

With the team badly whipped in the first test and the unavailability of their inspiring leader, the odds are heavily stacked up against Pakistan.

The batting all of a sudden looks very shaky, bowling looks a bit monotonous with same type of bowlers offering nothing threatening and the team looks under-cooked in general.


All good things come to an end eventually and I feel escaping the Kiwiland this time with a respectable scoreline might be too much to ask from this team.

However, if they do go on to level the series then I would rate this comeback on par - if not ahead - with the England comeback.
 
Yea I hope Pakistan win.

Goes without saying, even I desperately want them to win because so many things are on the line; the record, the reputation, the confidence going into Australian series. They have an uphill task infront of them.

I feel this is the most important test for the team since the 1st Test at Lord's.
 
Somehow Pakistan always manage to salvage a drawn series in NZ but never lose.

Let's see what's the result in the next test.
 
If we get whitewashed in this series than we will get whitewashed in Oz as well.
 
We are done, this NZ-AUS tour is proving to be disastrous. We won't win the next match either, and are going to get battered in Australia too.

Don't see Pakistan winning a single Test. We have been badly exposed.
 
Some more favourable conditions in the next test so I think Pakistan can level the series with a bit of luck. NZ are not that great of a team.
 
Sadly, this is the first time in so many years Pakistan is looking vulnerable going into the decider in NZ.

With the team badly whipped in the first test and the unavailability of their inspiring leader, the odds are heavily stacked up against Pakistan.

The batting all of a sudden looks very shaky, bowling looks a bit monotonous with same type of bowlers offering nothing threatening and the team looks under-cooked in general.


All good things come to an end eventually and I feel escaping the Kiwiland this time with a respectable scoreline might be too much to ask from this team.

However, if they do go on to level the series then I would rate this comeback on par - if not ahead - with the England comeback.

I don't agree at all.

In 1992-93, Pakistan only set New Zealand 127 to win at Hamilton, but Waqar and Wasim bowled them out for 93.

In 2009-10, at the height of the fixing scandals, the series was 1-1 when on the final day of the Third Test Pakistan set New Zealand 208 to win in 51 overs. They cruised to 90-0 from 19 overs at Tea, and only required 118 from 32 overs after Tea to win, with all 10 second innings wickets intact, only for a sudden and unexpected flurry of rain to wash out the match.

So Pakistan has been lucky for many years in NZ. But you make your own luck, and by arriving so late that they only scheduled 1 warm-up match - which was washed out - Pakistan has done this to themselves.
 
I don't agree at all.

In 1992-93, Pakistan only set New Zealand 127 to win at Hamilton, but Waqar and Wasim bowled them out for 93.

In 2009-10, at the height of the fixing scandals, the series was 1-1 when on the final day of the Third Test Pakistan set New Zealand 208 to win in 51 overs. They cruised to 90-0 from 19 overs at Tea, and only required 118 from 32 overs after Tea to win, with all 10 second innings wickets intact, only for a sudden and unexpected flurry of rain to wash out the match.

So Pakistan has been lucky for many years in NZ. But you make your own luck, and by arriving so late that they only scheduled 1 warm-up match - which was washed out - Pakistan has done this to themselves.

Apart from the two young uns it's the same batsmen which battered Nz by 10 wkts in 2011 so I'm not sure the batsmen really needed to spend all that much time in Nz hotels they probably don't know any family out there and there's more than likely not many halal restaurants or mosques


This Nz have come on leaps and bounds since bond retired which can be judged by the 0-0 series between England and NZ in 2012-2013 in the course of three tests
But Stats aside Nz are nothing special and it's only Pakistan which are making them look good with their approach at the crease
 
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Pakistan can still manage a draw .

They need to regroup and play to there potential. Asad , Sami and Babaar need to score more.

Aamir has to bowl 15 overs a day , that is it , and has to give everything in them. The captain should tell Aamir I will give you 3 spells of five overs , bowl like a champion , and do not hold anything back.
 
30 years actually

The first test bowling attack we had was probably the worst one we've had against in NZ in that time period.
 
I don't agree at all.

In 1992-93, Pakistan only set New Zealand 127 to win at Hamilton, but Waqar and Wasim bowled them out for 93.

In 2009-10, at the height of the fixing scandals, the series was 1-1 when on the final day of the Third Test Pakistan set New Zealand 208 to win in 51 overs. They cruised to 90-0 from 19 overs at Tea, and only required 118 from 32 overs after Tea to win, with all 10 second innings wickets intact, only for a sudden and unexpected flurry of rain to wash out the match.

So Pakistan has been lucky for many years in NZ. But you make your own luck, and by arriving so late that they only scheduled 1 warm-up match - which was washed out - Pakistan has done this to themselves.

You raised valid points from the past but you have not actually realised the point I was trying to make.

My focus was on the point that GOING INTO THE FINAL TEST, our team is looking very vulnerable. They look underdone and seem to be confused as to what approach they should adopt on these green tracks.

The team in 92/93 was world class and we weren't fazed going into the Hamilton test as that team consisted of world class players and even though defending 127 seemed remarkable, it wasn't totally unbelievable considering the quality of the attack.

In 2009-10, again we were favorites GOING INTO the final test since we had demolished Kiwis in the second test and looked all set to close out the series in the Napier test. What actually happened in the test is irrelevant.
 
30 years actually

The first test bowling attack we had was probably the worst one we've had against in NZ in that time period.

Was it really worse than the attack of Tanvir Ahmed, 2011 Wahab, Gul and Abdur Rehman that won us the 2011 Hamilton Test?
But I see where you are coming from, this attack looks very uninspiring and doesn't look penetrating enough. Wahab even though highly unreliable atleast adds a different dimension to this attack.
 
We are done, this NZ-AUS tour is proving to be disastrous. We won't win the next match either, and are going to get battered in Australia too.

Don't see Pakistan winning a single Test. We have been badly exposed.

Pakistan will be fine, lack of preparation cost them in this match. No need to go all doom and gloom, they may lose the Nzl series because it's only a 2 match series so by the time they have adapted it may be too late but Aussies are there for the taking though again I doubt one match in Cairns is good enough preparation before the 1st test. They prepared well before the England tour which was why they competed well, Kakool camp included.
 
There is also an element of luck involved. I think losing the toss on Day 1 was far from ideal ESPECIALLY when you take into account taht we were/are undercooked. On a fresh green pitch after days and days of rain, the toss I thought played a crucial role. However, the bowlers got you back in the game and you still blew the opportunity in the 2nd innings. The approach seems confused. Maybe adding Sharjeel in place of Misbah, dropping Azhar to 3 and Babar to 5 could help?
 
30 years actually

The first test bowling attack we had was probably the worst one we've had against in NZ in that time period.


Interesting you say that. Bowlers got us back in the game after 133 in the first innings!
 
Pakistan did well in NZ in the past because those pitches suit their fast bowlers style of bowling. If they batted decently, they always outbowled NZ. But this time around their batting is poor and their bowling is just decent, which is not enough!
 
Funny how just a week ago the chest beaters were in full flow even the WI loss didn't disturb them.

In any case, yeah after every successful tour we start taking ourselves easy and then get owned.

All depends on the next pitch. Our batting was always going to be dodgy on surfaces like these. Hell, even NZ's was even though the should be used to it. But the saddening thing is that our pacers couldn't even make full use of these conditions and got manhandled by Wagner and Grandhomme with bat and ball.

One of the worst top 6 teams in extracting anything from a surface, sadly when it comes to pace bowling.
 
Pitch for next test would most likely be similar to last one. Players have to adapt fast to turn things around.
 
Pakistan's glorious streak in Test cricket | Will it end at NZ? Or is it just getting started?

Only the 3rd time in our rich history we are on an unbeaten streak of 7 test series without a series loss.

But can we keep it up?

Going into this NZ series, we were strong favorites, it was like Apollo Creed's first match vs Rocky, but now we are a little bruised and without our true leader.

Even if the streak ends at Christchurch, still a rather decent feat to go 7-0.

But Insh'Allah this is just the beginning and by the time we return to Pakistan it would've extended to 9-0. :yk2
 
If things can go wrong, they will!

This is what Misbah has to protect as a record

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pakistan go into the N Zealand Test series with the following record in their last 7 Test series:<br>Won 5<br>Drawn 2<br>Lost 0<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZvPAK?src=hash">#NZvPAK</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/796052372271329281">November 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
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So NO losses in NZ in the last 7 Test series.

Pressure on Misbah?

He isnt in NZ but his legacy will be effected by this series if things dont go our way
 
Pakistan in New Zealand

Years Mat Won Lost Draw Start Date Winner
1964/65 3 0 0 3 22-Jan-65 drawn
1972/73 3 1 0 2 2-Feb-73 Pakistan
1978/79 3 1 0 2 2-Feb-79 Pakistan
1984/85 3 0 2 1 18-Jan-85 New Zealand
1988/89 2 0 0 2 10-Feb-89 drawn
1992/93 1 1 0 0 2-Jan-93 Pakistan
1993/94 3 2 1 0 10-Feb-94 Pakistan
1995/96 1 1 0 0 8-Dec-95 Pakistan
2000/01 3 1 1 1 8-Mar-01 drawn
2003/04 2 1 0 1 19-Dec-03 Pakistan
2009/10 3 1 1 1 24-Nov-09 drawn
2010/11 2 1 0 1 7-Jan-11 Pakistan
2016/17 2 0 1 0 17-Nov-16 -
 
Bah gawd, the streak is dead [MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION] [MENTION=47617]Red Devil[/MENTION]

636015830432406660-794308201_shocked_undertaker_guy-0.jpg
 
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