Misbah receives Test mace for no. 1 ranking

Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan's Test captain, has expressed confidence in international cricket returning soon to the country, and said it was ironic that his team's rise to No. 1 in the ICC rankings had to be accomplished without home-crowd support.The ICC chief executive David Richardson presented Misbah with the Test mace at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday, after Pakistan hadrisento No. 1 for the first timesince the current Test rankings were introduced in 2003, by virtue of their 2-2 draw in England this summer.

Pakistan are the fifth side after Australia, England, India and South Africa to top the ICC Test rankings."There can't be a better location to receive the ICC Test Championship mace than this ground where we last played a home Test seven years ago," said Misbah. "It is ironic for both the players as well as the fans that the journey to the No. 1 position has been outside Pakistan."The players have missed on the crowd support, while the spectators have beenunable to watch live some magnificent team and individual performances.

But Iam confident that things will change and international cricket will soon return to Pakistan."Apart from a visit by Zimbabwe in 2015, no Full Member country has toured Pakistan since March 2009, when gunmen attacked the bus transporting the SriLankan team to the Gaddafi Stadium on a morning of the Lahore Test.

Since then, Pakistan have had to host their home fixtures at neutral venues, primarily the UAE."Being part of a team that is ranked No.1 in Test cricket is a pinnacle achievement for any cricketer. Pakistan is a deserving recipient of the mace," Richardson said. "It is all the more impressive that it has reached the number-one Test ranking despite not being able to play a series in front of its home crowd since March 2009."On behalf of the ICC, I want to congratulate the Pakistan cricket team and Misbah-ul-Haq in particular for the way he has led his side. I hope that the teamcontinues to go from strength to strength. A strong Pakistan side is good for international cricket."Pakistan face a challenge to hold on to their No. 1 Test ranking. India, presently ranked No. 2, will displace Pakistan if they beat New Zealand in the upcoming three-Test series at home. Pakistan's next Test series is in October against West Indies in the UAE.

The team that is No. 1 on April 1, 2017, will receive $ 1 million from the ICC."The next target we have set for ourselves is to finish as the No. 1 Test side at the April 1 cut-off date," Misbah said. "It is not going to be easy as we have series against formidable sides like the West Indies, New Zealand and Australia. But instead of getting overawed by our opponents, we need to trust inour abilities, focus on our strengths and try to be as consistent as possible."