Misbah to stay on as captain: Zaka Ashraf

“As far as people calling my batting too defensive is concerned, I play according to the situation. I’m the captain and I have an added responsibility.”

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf has reiterated that he has no plans of changing Misbah-ul-Haq as the captain of the national team.

“We have not decided about the selection of the captain,” a local newspaper quoted him, as saying.

Ashraf’s statement comes after speculation in the media that the PCB may opt for three different captains for Tests, ODIs and T20s.

Misbah too has had to fend off questions from the media and most recently said: “I don’t want to just play Test cricket. I want to lead the team at the World Twenty20 as well but obviously that’s up to the selectors. As far as people calling my batting too defensive is concerned, I play according to the situation. I’m the captain and I have an added responsibility.”

“When I made my debut, people called me old and said I have little future in the game. But I’ve been able to prove them wrong with my performances. Now I’m confident of doing the same,” the 38-year-old added.

Comments from new coach Dav Whatmore and former captain Younis Khan last week, have added to the buzz circling the PCB headquarters.

Khan reportedly expressed a desire to the lead the team again if offered the role while Whatmore had backed another former captain, Shoaib Malik, to lead Pakistan in T20s on the back of his recent title-winning performance in the Super Eight T20 Championship held in Rawalpindi.

Pakistan’s selection committee is set to announce the squad for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka in a few days, and if tradition is to go by, there maybe a few surprises in the offing, despite Ashraf’s remarks.