Pakistan expected to announce their World Cup captain in a few days
Pakistan is expected to announce their World Cup captain in the coming few days. It is being speculated that a skipper will be announced before the 4th one-day international (ODI) of the on going 6-match series between Pakistan and New Zealand.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Misbah-ul-Haq-c1972 are the two players in the running for the captaincy spot. Afridi is the current ODI skipper while Misbah leads the team in the 5-day version of the game. Pakistan has already announced the 15-man squad for the World Cup and, to the surprise of many, opted not to pick a captain.
The delay has mainly occurred due to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755’s performance in Test matches under Misbah’s leadership. In the four Test matches Misbah has captained, they have not lost a single match. Misbah’s first assignment as captain was a 2-match series against South Africa in the UAE; the series ended in a 0-0 draw.
Misbah then took his side to a 1-0 Test series win against New Zealand in the Kiwis’ own backyard. This was Pakistan’s first Test series win since 2006.
Afridi on the other hand has failed to bag an ODI series victory for his country. Under his captaincy Pakistan came close to defeating both England and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757. However, both ODI series ended with a score line of 3-2 in favor of the opposing team as Pakistan failed to seal the series after losing the 5th and final match on both occasions.
Afridi’s captaincy was put under even more scrutiny by ex-players and cricket fans after Pakistan’s humiliating 9 wicket defeat at the hands of New Zealand in the first ODI of the on going series.
However, the tables seem to have turned in favour of Afridi after Pakistan’s commanding win in the 4th ODI against New Zealand on Saturday. Afridi was also amongst the runs as he bludgeoned the Kiwis bowling attack to score a 19 balls fifty, his innings ended at 65 runs from 25 balls. Afridi hence equaled Brendon McCullum’s record for the fastest 50 in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754.
The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ijaz-Butt-c64128, is in New Zealand and is aiming to end the captaincy issue. He has held meetings with team officials, players and the management in order to select an appropriate captain.
Many believe that the deferment of the announcement of the World Cup captain was damaging for the team's moral and the dressing roams atmosphere. Former Pakistan captain, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Inzamam-ul-Haq-c64383, was also amongst the lot which attacked the PCB. Earlier this week he said, “With only three weeks left to the World Cup, Pakistan have no captain and the blame goes to the PCB for creating an impasse which has divided the team into two groups, supporting Afridi and Misbah. The PCB has failed to control the situation and if Pakistan fares badly in the World Cup, people will accuse the players and not the board."
Other ex-players, however, have endorsed the Boards decision. Former leg spinner, Abdul Qadir, not only appreciated the delay in the announcement but went on to say that Misbah should be awarded the captaincy. He said, “He has led from the front in the Test matches and my advice to the PCB would be to name Misbah as World Cup captain.”
It will be disclosed in the next few days if Afridi will retain the captaincy for the World Cup. He has certainly proved he is a good contender for the post after an impressive performance in the 4th ODI against New Zealand.
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