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Karachi: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to let the Test and One-day captain, Misbah-ul-Haq remain with the team in the UAE despite being ruled out of the series with a hamstring injury, sending out a message that he will lead the side in the World Cup.
“The doctors have said he requires three to four weeks to recover from the hamstring injury. But we have decided to retain him with the team to ensure there is no more controversies over who will captain the team in the World Cup,” a senior PCB official told PTI.
“The reason Misbah has been told to remain with the team is that so that Shahid Afridi or any other player don’t get the wrong ideas about who will be captain in the World Cup,” the official said.
“In the past we have faced problems because of some players believing they were contenders for the One-day team captaincy that is why this time we have decided to keep Misbah with the team so that everyone knows who is the man in-charge till the World Cup,” the official stated.
Flamboyant all-rounder, Afridi has been named to lead the team in the remaining three ODIs against New Zealand after Misbah picked up the hamstring injury in the second match.
Afridi led the team to a thumping win in the third match on Sunday, himself scoring a quick-fire half century.
“We want to make it clear that Misbah is the captain for the World Cup and if he is fit he will lead the side. We also want him to be involved in the selection process till the World Cup,” he added.
Though the hamstring injury is not said to be one that can keep Misbah out of the World Cup but the 40-year has been told to take complete rest for the next three weeks to make a proper recovery.
The board has a policy of sending back players from tours who pick up injuries for rehabilitation at the national cricket academy in Lahore but for Misbah they have made an exception to the rule.
PTI
