The Pakistan Cricket Board selectors have decided to retain senior middle order batsman Misbah-ul-Haq as the national captain for the Test and one day leg of the upcoming tour of South Africa, starting early next month. Misbah’s performance has been
under scrutiny following a run of dismal showings in one-day cricket, as well as his slow paced batting technique. The senior batsman continued with his struggling form during the recently concluded tour of India, prompting the country’s cricketing fraternity to call for his head.
The Pakistan Cricket Board had last year sacked the 38-year-old as the national T20 skipper for being a slow run scorer, and following his poor show on India trip, buzz in the town was that the PCB selectors may show him the door, come the South Africa series.
However, sources in the PCB shared on Friday that the Qasim Javed led national selection panel has been told by the Board management that Misbah will continue leading the national team in both Test and ODI formats of the game.
"Board Chairman Zaka Ashraf is happy with the performance of Misbah and the way he led the team to the one-day series win in India recently," a PCB source told media reporters in Karachi today. "The positive report about Misbah is that despite his age, he is fit and brings about lot of confidence and discipline to the team with his presence and leadership qualities," the source added further.
Experienced all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez, who was earlier this week ranked as the best one-day all-rounder in the world, has been retained as the national T20 captain.
Pakistan cricket team is scheduled to leave for South Africa on January 20, 2012. The Men in Green are scheduled to play three Tests, five One Day Internationals and two T20 Internationals against the Proteas. Misbah and Co will kick start the tour of rainbow nation on February 1, with a Test match against the world No. 1 ranked Proteas in Johannesburg.
The green shirts are also scheduled to play a three-day warm-up match against South Africa A in East London, from January 25 to 28.
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