Misbah joins Pakistan squad in New Zealand

Pakistan middle order batsman Misbah ul Haq following Pakistan's first-test match defeat in Dunedin last week joined the touring team ahead of second Test starting at Basin Reserve in Wellington from Thursday.

Misbah was left out from the squads in all three formats for Pakistan’s series of ODIs, T20s and Tests against New Zealand in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and New Zealand after he was struggling with his poor form over the year. However, he hit back his form after playing the ongoing domestic circuit of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and the selection committee decided to send him to New Zealand to strengthen the middle order.

Mohammad Yousuf - the stand-in captain for the three-match series, had earlier called for Misbah to step up and fill Younis Khan's absence. Khan walked away from the captaincy recently, wanting to take a rest from international cricket and skip the New Zealand series.

Misbah, 34, will be confided with shoring up an inexperienced batting line-up and providing a safe pair of hands in slips cordon where five chances were dropped, four at first slip by the opening batsman Imran Farhat.

The second Test starting in Wellington on Thursday and the final match at Napier beginning December 11.

© Cricdb