Misbah says 'team and country' more important to him than personal laurels

Struggling Pakistan cricket team captain Misbah-ul Haq has said that team and country come first for him and admitted that he needs to start scoring runs again to continue playing as skipper of the ODI side.

Misbah withdrew himself from the third and final ODI against Australia in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, raising doubts over his captaincy barely four months from the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Instead all-rounder Shahid Afridi led Pakistan, but their fortunes did not change as Australia pulled off a sensational one-run win in the last over to seal a 3-0 whitewash, The Dawn reported.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shahryar Khan revealed that it would be Misbah's decision to lead or leave the Pakistan ODI team but the board has contingency plans in case the skipper gives up.

But Misbah has said that he would try his best to regain his batting form and if that failed he would reconsider his future. He said that he has no intention of leaving the ODI captaincy.

Misbah said that team and Pakistan come first, adding that if he can get his form back and score runs then he would think of being back there but if not, then obviously, one cannot put the team in such a difficult situation and has to decide.

Misbah had been the top run getter in one-day cricket last year with 1,373 runs, but he managed just 67 in the 2-1 defeat in Sri Lanka in August this year and was out for a first-ball duck and then 15 in the two games against Australia, the report added.