Shoaib Malik injury puts PCB in a fix on captaincy

KARACHI: Pakistani selectors face a tricky situation on appointing a skipper for the ODI series against Zimbabwe with incumbent Shoaib Malik still not fully fit and Younis Khan as reluctant as ever to lead the side.
    
Malik said on the first day of training camp on Tuesday that he has still not recovered fully from his ankle injury and he does not want to play before being fully fit.
    
Younis had led Pakistan in the last two Tests in India after Malik injured his ankle in New Delhi but PCB Chairman Nasim Ashraf said despite the uncertainty over Malik's fitness, Younis would not be made captain.
    
"I think Younis has made his position clear. He is a reluctant leader and wants to concentrate on his game which is fine with us. But if Malik does not clear fitness tests in the camp at present in Lahore then we will announce a captain for the first few games by Friday," he said.
    
Ashraf said if Malik is ruled out then he would consult the governing body members and announce a new captain for the first two ODIs of the Zimbabwe series.
    
The PCB will also announce on January 25 a new vice-captain, a role that Younis filled in the India tour on the request of Ashraf.
    
PCB sources said with the board ruling out Younis, the captaincy is likely to go to Misbah-ul-Haq who was impressive in the Test series in India and the vice-captaincy could fall either to Shahid Afridi or Kamran Akmal.