Misbah has been in a prolonged slump with the bat, and scored 15 in the second ODI following a duck in the first.

The loss to Australia has also forced the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to come out in support of struggling Test and One-day International skipper Misbah-ul-Haq who sat out of the third and final match of the ODI series on Sunday. The PCB has backed Misbah to lead the team at next year’s World Cup but have considered potential replacements should he decide to stand down from his role as captain.

The 40-year-old middle order batsman did not play in Pakistan’s third and final one-day match against Australia on Sunday, with Shahid Afridi taking the reins for the one-run defeat in Abu Dhabi.

Misbah has been in a prolonged slump with the bat, and scored 15 in the second ODI following a duck in the first.

PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan said it had been Misbah’s decision not to play on Sunday and that he was ‘depressed’ after a poor run of scores. “Misbah decided that he needed a break from the rather depressing scores he has had in Sri Lanka as well as here,” Khan said in a report posted on the board’s website.

“The management also agreed that if you want to sit this out it is your decision. No one coerced him into doing this. He himself decided that this is the right time for him to take a break and see if he can recover in the Tests. “He is depressed at the fact that he hasn’t been scoring and I found it very, very noble on his part that he said ‘if the day I get an idea that the team is suffering because of me, then I will myself say, let me go.’”

Australia play Pakistan in a two-test series, with the first starting in Dubai on October 22.

Khan said he had told Misbah he still had the board’s firm backing. “I told him, we appointed you till the World Cup,” he added. “We were criticised for it and we will be now, even more, as he has not scored runs. But we remain totally firm that will lead. I had a half-hour chat with him. “(I said) if you yourself think your leadership will not deliver, then it is up to you. We will not push you out. This is the view of all three of us – (coach) Waqar Younis and (manager and chief selector) Moin Khan. Misbah is determined to put things right, if he does he is back but (we) considered other names of course as a contingency plan.”

Miandad backs Misbah

Karachi: Pakistan great Javed Miandad has come out in strong support of under pressure national captain Misbah-ul-Haq. “No one realises that it is because Misbah is not scoring runs is the main reason for the team’s recent poor performances in Sri Lanka and Australia. Now his critics and these experts need to realise his value to the team as a leader on the field and as a batsman,” Miandad said.

Miandad, who has been chief coach of the national team thrice, said those trying to give the impression that Misbah was the problem in the team were doing no service to the team.”Tell me what has changed in this team since the Sri Lanka tour. One Misbah is out of form but the rest of the players are doing the same things they did before. They score in one match and fail in next three,” he noted.