Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) chief selector Iqbal Qasim has touted Test and one-day captain Misbah-ul-Haq as Pakistan's mainstay for the ICC Champions Trophy, saying that the skipper's renewed batting confidence was a good omen for the team.
Misbah is currently experiencing a phenomenal period with a score of 334 runs from eight matches after struggling in the series against Sri Lanka, Australia and India in which he scored only 289 runs from 11 matches at an average of just over 30, the Express Tribune reports.
The report further said that Misbah was also the top-scorer in the domestic Super Eight Twenty20 event, besides finishing amongst the highest run-getters in the President's Cup.
Stating that Misbah has been playing well, Qasim further said that an in-form captain is always a good sign for the team, adding that Misbah's current performance is also a confidence booster for the younger players.
However, Qasim also said that since the middle-order has a large responsibility in the eight-nation tournament, it is important for Misbah to maintain his form and continue with his natural style of batting as it is giving him good results.
Despite critics downplaying Pakistan's chances at the tournament owing to the team's fragile batting line-up, Qasim is optimistic that the side has all the ingredients to stun any opposition in the last edition of the event.
Although the former cricketer admitted that several players lack experience, he, however said that the balanced team combination could earn desirable results by playing up to its potential.