Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez to remain Pak skippers
The Pakistan Cricket Board has no immediate plans to make any changes in the national team management and Misbah-ul-Haq and Mohammad Hafeez will continue as captains of the Test, ODI and T20 teams respectively.
A senior official of the board said PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf was satisfied with the work done by Hafeez as the national T20 captain and also had reposed confidence in Misbah as captain of the Test and ODI teams. "They are no plans to make any changes in the team management and the same set up will continue for the tours to India and South Africa starting from December," the official said.
"The Chairman had long discussions with Hafeez and coach Dav Whatmore and he feels that while Hafeez did a good job gelling the team there is no reason to immediately search for a new captain for the test and ODI teams," the official said.
Misbah, 38, is having a lean time in the ongoing Presidents Trophy first class tournament, but said he was
confident runs were just around the corner. Misbah bagged a pair in his first match of the season for
Sui Gas and has managed a mediocre tally of 102 runs at an average of 17 for SNGPL.
But the senior batsman told PTI, he was not alarmed or concerned with his lack of form.
"It happens and I can sense the runs are around the corner already in the last match I stayed at the crease for a while and the confidence is returning," he said.
The right hander said he was working hard and wanted to be in prime form before the tours to India and South Africa. "I am sure the runs will come when the tournament starts after Eid break as lot of matches remain in the season."
Misbah and Hafeez play for the same domestic team. The PCB chief is keen on making the event an annual affair.
"We have our own mechanism to hold the PPL but I can say that we have taken inspiration from the IPL. May be, one day the PPL franchise can be part of the IPL as well," he said.
The chairman said the tax exemption has been sought to make the Twenty20 league a financially successful model till it became self-reliant and to ensure the top players could be paid competitive sums for coming to Pakistan. He also hoped that the international cricket could be revived as early as next year following the successful staging of two exhibition matches in Karachi involving an International World XI and Pakistan All Star XI.
For that to happen, Ashraf was commited towards providing best security measures to the overseas players. "We have set up our own anti-vigilance and security divisions and we are also in close contact with the government as far as security arrangements for the tournament is concerned," he said.
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