File pic: Babar Azam and Rohit Sharma (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has defended the national cricket team against the long-standing label of being “unpredictable,” arguing that such inconsistency is a natural part of cricket rather than a unique characteristic of Pakistan.
Speaking at a press briefing during the Bahria Town Champions Cup, Misbah highlighted the inherent unpredictability in the game and cited examples from India’s performances to support his stance.
“India lost 3-0 to New Zealand at home and then went to Australia and beat them in Perth. Yet, no one calls India an unpredictable side (India 3-0 haari New Zealand se, jaake Australia ko Perth me hara diya. Waha unpredictable koi nahi kahega unko),” Misbah said. He also pointed to England’s fluctuating Test results, noting, “England won a Test here, lost two after that, and then went to New Zealand and won another Test match.”

Misbah argued that the label unfairly paints Pakistan in a negative light, with the team often facing disproportionate criticism compared to others. “If something happens to us after 12 or 15 matches, people open the entire record of our team. Cricket is a game of unpredictability. Life itself is unpredictable,” he remarked, defending Pakistan’s performances in the broader context of the sport.
While he agreed that Pakistan must strive for greater consistency, Misbah emphasized that stability in selection processes and policies, as well as a strong infrastructure, are critical for sustained performance. “Consistency will come with consistency in selection and policies. When those are in place, along with a good infrastructure, performance will improve automatically,” he said.
Misbah concluded by reiterating that unpredictability is not unique to Pakistan but is a shared trait among all cricket teams. “The gap between teams is not significant, so no one can predict in cricket. It’s not just Pakistan; unpredictability is part of the game for all teams.”
Misbah’s remarks challenge the perception that Pakistan alone struggles with inconsistency, while also calling for a more balanced assessment of the team’s performances on the international stage.