Thought of retiring after Australia tour only: Misbah

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Former Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq admitted thathe was about to retire from international cricket after the disastrousAustralia tour, but the encouragement given by the team and the managementpostponed his plans.

"Let me say that after the Australiatour, I was giving serious thought to retirement, but every player came to meand said that this is not how you have to leave cricket. They told me that Ihad to play the next series against the West Indies and that they would win andgive me a proper send-off with victory as a present," Misbah said.

"To tell you the truth, the respectthe team and its management gave to me is something I will cherishforever," he added.

In the three-match Test series, Pakistanhad to face a humiliating defeat against Australia after which critiques beganto question Misbah's capability.

When asked about who can carry the mantleof Pakistan team, the 42-year-old veteran said Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq and SarfrazAhmed, who have all played enough Test cricket, have the ability to fill thevoid after the retirement of the two celebrated batsmen — Misbah and YounisKhan. "Now that both of us have retired, I look upon these three finebatsmen to carry on the mission and the role that we performed," he said.

"They have all played enough Testcricket and in my view, they can fill the gap left by our departure to guidethe youngsters, who will be replacing us in the future," he added.

Misbah retired from the Internationalcricket after Pakistan's first series win against West Indies in the Caribbeanisland.

Misbah played 75 Test matches, scoring5,222 runs and is currently seventh on the list of Pakistan's all-time Testrun-getters.

The 42-year-old also inspired Pakistan tothe top of the ICC Test team rankings for the first time in history in 2015,although their stint at the top was short-lived as India replaced them soon after.