The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been under constant pressure from national coach Waqar Younis to retain Shahid Afridi as captain for the World Cup, which is starting from Feb 19.
Sources told Dawn that after Waqar had expressed his dismay in a press statement over PCB’s decision of not announcing the captain along with the World Cup squad on Jan 18, the PCB, considering the statement untimely, sent an explanation notice to the coach over the statement.
The PCB had faced criticism from several quarters for not announcing the captain for the World Cup.
The sources further said that though Afridi was PCB’s first choice to lead in the World Cup, it was also considering Misbah-ul-Haq, who was delivering well as Test captain.
The upcoming six One-day International series against New Zealand, starting from Saturday, would also be a test for Afridi to prove his potential as captain and all-rounder.
The PCB has also appointed Misbah as his deputy for the series.
But Waqar, as the sources said, was more comfortable with Afridi and did not want to make any change at the time when the ICC mega event was less than a month away.
In 2010, Afridi’s performance as captain remained below par as he led the team in nine series of One-day and Twenty20 Internationals, losing seven and winning only two T20 series.
Misbah, on the other hand, led Pakistan in two Test series, each against South Africa, world No. 2 Test team, and New Zealand. While both the Tests against the Proteas ended in draw, Pakistan won the series 1-0 against the Black Caps, their first after almost four years.
PCB chairman Ijaz Butt is also in New Zealand to watch the matches and it is likely the captain for the World Cup would be announced after the fourth ODI, the sources said.
The chairman will also meet Waqar to ask him why he issued the press statement on such an important issue.
The sources said the coach and all other members of the team management knew that it was the prerogative of the Board to decide the captain.
The sources said the PCB also believed that Waqar indirectly showed his support for Afridi by expressing his astonishment for not announcing the captain.
They further said the delay in appointing the captain for the World Cup was only a part of the strategy to warn Afridi to give his best and to lead from the front to retain the post. But Waqar might not have been taken into confidence in this regard, the sources concluded.
