By IANS,
Karachi : Pakistan’s cricket chief Ijaz Butt has hinted Shoaib Malik’s chances of retaining the national team’s captaincy for the much-awaited home series against India rests on the outcome of the ongoing three-match One-day International series against the West Indies in Abu Dhabi.
Butt, a former Pakistan Test opener, said in an interview Friday that a decision on whether to retain Malik as skipper will depend on his performance, both as captain and as a player. Malik’s tenure as captain ends Dec 31 this year.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, however, praised Malik for his performance in Pakistan’s four-wicket win over the West Indies Wednesday in Abu Dhabi and hinted if he consistently delivered, PCB can opt to extend his tenure as captain.
Malik, 26, was handpicked by former PCB chief Nasim Ashraf to lead Pakistan after last year’s World Cup debacle in the West Indies where the Pakistanis crashed out of the first round, with Inzamam-ul-Haq as captain.
Malik has since then attracted praise and criticism in equal measure though many former Pakistan Test cricketers reject him as a weak captain.
The Sialkot-born player is keen to lead Pakistan next year which begins with all important home series against India. Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men are scheduled to arrive in Pakistan Jan 4 to play three Tests, five One-day Internationals and a Twenty20 International during a six-week-long visit.
Meanwhile, Butt has said Pakistan will announce its new selection committee ahead of the home series against India. The PCB installed former Pakistan Test pacer Saleem Jaffer as the interim chief selector after Salahuddin Ahmed resigned as the chairman of the selection committee last month.