The Pakistan Cricket Board has on Saturday retained Misbah-ul-Haq as captain for this month’s Asia Cup while Shoaib Malik, Imran Farhat and Adnan Akmal were dropped fro the 15-man squad for the tournament.
The PCB new selection committee has, however, recalled opener Nasir Jamshed and wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed for the tournament that starts on March 11.
Pakistan’s defeats in the One-Day International and Twenty20 series to England prompted calls for a change in team management and captaincy, but the PCB opted to retain Misbah for the Asia Cup, which also features Sri Lanka, India and hosts Bangladesh.
Misbah is battling an inconsistent form and has also been criticised for his defensive captaincy in the shorter format of the sport.
Chief selector Iqbal Qasim said opener Nasir Jamshed and wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed had been recalled for the tournament because of their recent performances in domestic cricket.
“We feel that since Nasir has done well in domestic cricket and in the recent Bangladesh Premier League he deserves a chance to play for the national team,” Qasim said.
“Since we have little time for the Asia Cup we have picked the best possible side and hopefully this will deliver in the event,” Qasim said.
The PCB is also expected to announce the appointment of Australian Dav Whatmore as head coach later on Saturday. Mohsin Khan has been acting as interim coach for the England series.
The exclusions of Malik, Farhat and wicketkeeper Adnan were on the cards as their selections had raised questions during the series in the UAE.
Left-arm pacer Junaid Khan, meanwhile, has been ruled out of the tournament due to a knee injury.
Pakistan squad
Misbah-ul-Haq (cpt), Mohammad Hafeez, Nasir Jamshed, Younis Khan, Umar Akmal, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shahid Afridi, Hammad Azam, Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Aizaz Cheema.
Reserves: Ahmed Shahzad, Rahat Ali, Bilawal Bhatti, Afaq Rahim and Muhammad Khalil.
Yes,1 series Shouldnt change the captain.The team needs Consistancy in every department!
yes..He is a good captain
It is very difficult to get rid from him
Yes. He created history with test series whitewash of England – first time since 1907 that a team was all out for 99 to come back and destroyed the opponents on the 3rd day! So we didn’t get the ODI’s or t20 series. Its a game! Under his leadership we haven’t lost a single test series in close to 18 months!
nice joke
off course, Pakistan didn’t get a better captain than him for decades
tuk tuk tuk…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Ya he should be BosS oF PAk 11
nooooo
Yes for sure
Yes he should be…
he is a nice capain! Not only he shares a part of his name with our former captain Inzamam ul haq but also he is nice captain like him……….
no
not at alllllllllllllll
Another disgraceful defeat is in the making, I don’t see our team having enough competence to beat quality sides, and we need skillful and genuinely express fast-bowlers, with these first-rate spinners.
Best of luck Pakistan…
Yes he should stay. Look at the positives he has brought into Pak cricket after the spot fixing when we were down and out with no respect left. You win some and you lose some. Basically it is a weak team but has done well under him, our expectations are uneccasarily too high and we want to win everything. Do not forget that we are placed at 5 in tests, 6 in ODI's and 7 at T20, not due to his fault, and that there are better teams around and well settled. He should continue.
No need faired him
no
if we want to repeat history like 2007 world cup, semi-final 2011 and 2012 england t20 series then go on PCB….. he can never ever win a match for Pakistan
He is acceptable indeed as a captain for ODI format but retaining him in the T20s is ridiculous.
yes he should be….
As far as ODI’s are concerned he is a good choice..
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