A leading American newspaper Thursday called skipper Misbah-ul-Haq a "capable leader" and said Pakistan could claim to be the most successful international team in 2011 with victories in all three formats of the game.

"Having three players sent to jail while your team is on an indefinite road trip is usually not a promising path to success, but Pakistan cricket has always done things differently, The New York Times wrote. "Unable to play international matches at home because of security worries, it has adopted the United Arab Emirates as a refuge and its home away from home," the Times said, noting that Pakistan has won the series against England.

"We are desperate to see a three-nil margin, but no test victory comes easy and nobody has a given right to win any test match," Pakistan's coach, Mohsin Khan, was quoted as saying.

"The star among those (wins) has been Saeed Ajmal, who did not play international cricket until after age 30. Now 34, he has made up for lost time by becoming the fastest Pakistani to 100 test wickets, achieving it in only 19 matches," correspondent Huw Richards wrote.

"He (Ajmal) epitomizes a team very different from the norm for Pakistan. It has a long history of picking young players, but this squad is one of the oldest in its 60 years as a test-playing nation, the dispatch said.

"Pakistan teams were prone to be volatile and aggressive, but this one, taking its cue from captain Misbah-ul-Haq, is calm, controlled and patient.

"Not long ago, Misbah looked washed up. He was a player whose age he will be 38 in June  comfortably exceeded his batting average in 20 test appearances. He was recalled in late 2010 because Pakistan needed a new leader untainted by the disastrous tour of England.

"In 14 matches since becoming captain, Misbah has been one of the most prolific batsmen in the world, averaging more than 70 runs per dismissal, and he has shown himself a capable leader..." "Misbah's patience as a player rubbed off on two young batsmen, Asad Shafiq and Azhar Ali.

Their partnership of 88 runs from 42 six-ball overs in Pakistan's second innings in Abu Dhabi put its bowlers in a position to win after the team faced an almost certain defeat.

"Mohsin is the interim coach while Pakistan seeks a permanent appointment. Stopgaps, though, can often be long-term successes. Pakistan needs only to look at England coach Andy Flower, an emergency appointee who has taken his team to No. 1 in the test rankings". It is an example Mohsin would like to follow, the Times said.

"I think this team has the capacity to become the world's best", he said. Pakistan is currently ranked fifth, but a 3-0 sweep would take it close to India and Australia, ranked third and fourth, below South Africa.