Misbah urges fans to stick with ODI team

Former Pakistan ODI captain and current Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq says supporters need to give the current ODI team a chance to grow and develop on the international stage.

Misbah was speaking after Pakistan lost a series for the first time against Bangladesh, going down two-nil with one match to play in the ODI series.

After the recent Word Cup, Misbah along with allrounder Shahid Afridi decided to call time on their ODI careers and a younger team was selected to go the current tour to Bangladesh with the 2019 World Cup in mind. Batsman Azhar Ali was selected as the new ODI skipper.

Misbah told AFP: "If we want to give a new look to the one-day team then this defeat will have to be tolerated. All the changes we have seen will have an impact on the team, with some new players coming and some making a comeback.

"If we have decided to build the team for the future then we have to back all these new players and have to give them confidence. If we don't panic and give this team some time it will mature within the next two years, so we must not look at the results."

The 40 year-old Misbah, who's team will also play two Tests against the Tigers on tour, said his country should look at the example of their hosts who stuck by their players when they were not doing so well.
 

Misbah continued: "This is the same Bangladesh team which lost to Afghanistan in the Asia Cup last year and that too on their home ground, but they kept faith in their players and now they have a mature bunch of players."