**The Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to hand over the captaincy of the national team to all-rounder Shoaib Malik, The Nation learnt on Saturday. **
All eyes were on Younis as next skipper after Inzamam-ul-Haq resigned. However, Younis Khan refused to take up the captaincy. However, sources inside the PCB disclosed that the PCB chairman, all of its directors and chief operating officers came round to agreeing on Shoaib Malik as the captain of the team.
Although the decision has been made but its formal announcement would come in a couple of days. The PCB is likely to name it’s captain on long term basis instead of series to series basis. It seems for the moment that the PCB has sorted out the captaincy problem but it has yet to address the grouping problem in the wake of a number of aspirants and their supporters in the playing eleven. Some of the seniors that include Muhammad Yousuf, Abdul Razzak, Shoaib Akhtar have also shown their desire to lead the team while Salman Butt was also one of the players taken as one of the candidate for the job. Yousuf was reported by a newswire agency as saying that if he was offered, he was ready to take the captaincy. “I do not feel any pressure and I feel eligible more than anybody after my recent performance,” said he. “In this crisis situation I think I would be the right choice to lead the team,” he added. Similar views were expressed by all-rounder Abdul Razzak. “I and ready to take the captaincy and would prove to be one of the best,” said he. Shoaib Akhtar was on a number of occasion seen challenging the captaincy of Inzamam-ul-Haq.
PCB chairman said that various names were considered. The chairman also had meetings with Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Yousuf, Shoaib Malik and others. But he recently said that the new captain would be a senior player and on that count Salman was to miss out. Besides, he was out of the team and had yet to confirm his place as a solid opener. And in seniority Yousuf was the top most but his excessive inclination towards religion and questions over his fitness made the PCB look for other options. In Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi’s case, the fitness of the former and the slogging style of the latter stammered their chances, leaving Malik alone in the race for captaincy.
The PCB chairman said that the PCB’s first priority was the appointment of captain on long-term basis followed by the announcement of the 30 probable players and the selection committee. Ashraf said that series against Sri Lanka to be played in Duabi in May would not be ruled out whereas Pakistan team will tour England in July to play two One-day Internationals. An official of the board said that Malik fulfils the criterion set for the captain. But in the recent years Malik has been nursing his elbow injury and has also been among the suspect bowler. “He is fit, plays for the team and has with his form ensured place in the team,” said an official of the board.
http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/apr-2007/15/sports1.php
Re: Breaking News....Shoaib Malik Gets Pakistan Captaincy according to "The Nation"
They must have been visiting our poll in cricketnama ;)
Re: Breaking News…Shoaib Malik Gets Pakistan Captaincy according to “The Nation”
GA bhai, yeh khain belated April fool to nahi hai naa 
Re: Breaking News....Shoaib Malik Gets Pakistan Captaincy according to "The Nation"
^ does n't seem like it. The Nation link is from today (Sunday 15 April). cricinfo is usu. a day late. Besides no official announcement has been made as yet. Malik was n't my first (or even my second) choice as captain but let's hope he can do the business. At the end of the day we all want Pakistan to succeed in cricket.
Re: Breaking News…Shoaib Malik Gets Pakistan Captaincy according to “The Nation”
good choice :k:
better than Yoyo and Afridi khan at least
Re: Breaking News....Shoaib Malik Gets Pakistan Captaincy according to "The Nation"
If indeed this is the case it seems like PCB has dropped the ball once again. I see no difference between Malik's on field temprement and Inzi's temeprement. I'm not sure Malik will be able to inject spark into the team.
Sad news, really. We had a chance to be real ferocious tigers in the cricketing world with Afridi as captain; but it seems like the PCB wanted the safe option.
But we could've done worse; atleast its not yousuf.
Re: Breaking News....Shoaib Malik Gets Pakistan Captaincy according to "The Nation"
Malik will be entirely different in the field vs. Inzimam. He is a really agile fielder and will be very vocal. Although he will struggle to justify a position in the test side. He might become a Vaughan of tests. Low average captain of a previous WC champ.
Re: Breaking News....Shoaib Malik Gets Pakistan Captaincy according to "The Nation"
^ more agile, yes. more vocal, I doubt it.
Re: Breaking News....Shoaib Malik Gets Pakistan Captaincy according to "The Nation"
If the team rallies behind him, he will be reasonably vocal. You don't need to be a chatter box "Shabash Shabash" type. Its your cricketing brain and performance mostly doing the talking. The ability to make quick decisions and learn from other teams strengths & weaknesses is most important.
He is not our Captain of Choice. Most of us wanted YoYo. But Malik is better than MoYo or Afridi.
Next q: Who will be VC?
Re: Breaking News....Shoaib Malik Gets Pakistan Captaincy according to "The Nation"
*Bad choice if it is indeed true; the guy does not even warrant a place in the test eleven. I wonder who the vice-captain will be. *
Re: Breaking News....Shoaib Malik Gets Pakistan Captaincy according to "The Nation"
If the team rallies behind him, he will be reasonably vocal. You don't need to be a chatter box "Shabash Shabash" type. Its your cricketing brain and performance mostly doing the talking. The ability to make quick decisions and learn from other teams strengths & weaknesses is most important. He is not our Captain of Choice. Most of us wanted YoYo. But Malik is better than MoYo or Afridi. Next q: Who will be VC?
Agreed 100%. But I feel Afridi has a sharper cricketing brain than Malik. He performs when given responsibilty; Just look at how he took a mediocre Karachi team to the final in 20/20 tournament.
Re: Breaking News....Shoaib Malik Gets Pakistan Captaincy according to "The Nation"
chalo, ek kana nahi sahi doosra sahi, they were considering Younis Khan whom I was against in ODIs now they make Shoaib Malik whose inclusion in Test matches is questioned. Anyway, if true then good luck to him and team Pakistan (ya Allah khair).
Re: Breaking News....Shoaib Malik Gets Pakistan Captaincy according to "The Nation"
*Bad choice if it is indeed true; the guy does not even warrant a place in the test eleven. I wonder who the vice-captain will be. *
Why not? I think you are letting your support for Shoaib Akhtar's captaincy cloud your judgement. Shoaib Malik is not, and never will be among the first tier batsmen, such as Inzimam, Yousef, Tendulkar, Dravid, but every team has two tier of batsmen, and among the second tier, Shoaib Malik does just fine. You can check the stats below for this:
Shoaib Malik 18 Matchs, 29 Innings, Average = 37.65
Yuvraj Singh 19 Matches, 29 Innings, Average = 33.20
Ijaz Ahmed 60 Matches, 92 Innings, Average = 37.67
Salman Butt 15 Matches, 26 Innings, Average = 29....
Re: Breaking News....Shoaib Malik Gets Pakistan Captaincy according to "The Nation"
^^
Yea I checked the stats :D
Is this Shoaib Malik same Shoaib Malik that made 9 runs in 25 balls of super Ireland bowling attack and got out? It was one of the most crucial match for Pakistan in world cup, did he knew? And in his one over that he bowled in the match, he gave away that 9 runs (in his 6 balls), seems a very good all round performance. Well, he also made 21 runs in 32 balls against super Zimbabwe bowling and got out. Unfortunately, he did not bowled against Zimbabwe.
So, his total contribution in the most crucial match was that 21 runs in 32 balls, and 1 wicket. He did not took any catch in both above mataches.
So, what he was awarded the captaincy for? Is it for his 9 runs in 25 balls against super Ireland team, or giving away 9 runs in 6 balls to super Ireland team? Maybe one wicket he took in that solitary over.
Re: Breaking News…Shoaib Malik Gets Pakistan Captaincy according to “The Nation”
If true, then a very smart move by PCB for once. First choice would have been Younis but if not him then Malik is the best option. He’s young and he’s a fighter. I’m so glad they didnt make YoYo or Razzaq captain…in that case we would have been competing with the likes of Zimbabwe.
Good Luck Malik :k: 
Re: Breaking News....Shoaib Malik Gets Pakistan Captaincy according to "The Nation"
Ab is team ka Allah hi Hafiz hai. Malik has serious flaws in his technique which he has failed to rectify despite having played international cricket for the last 7 years. I don't see how he has any credentials for the job. He will neither command respect, nor inspire the other members of the team.
Re: Breaking News....Shoaib Malik Gets Pakistan Captaincy according to "The Nation"
When Mohammad Yousaf converted to Islam, it was said he did so because he would be made captain only if he were Muslim. Now, it appears, that the reason for not considering him for captaincy was his excessive inclination towards religion! Can't help but sympathise with the poor chap.
Re: Breaking News....Shoaib Malik Gets Pakistan Captaincy according to "The Nation"
Excellent choice, also as reflected by the majority of KK posters. In the previous poll Shoaib Malik was second only to Younis Khan. And in the new poll Shoaib Malik has passed with flying colours i.e. the most logical choice after Younis Khan. It is commendable though to see people have faith in other unconvential choices such as Afridi or Razzaq, and then some with totally pointless choices such as Butt or Akhtar.
Re: Breaking News....Shoaib Malik Gets Pakistan Captaincy according to "The Nation"
Ab is team ka Allah hi Hafiz hai. Malik has serious flaws in his technique which he has failed to rectify despite having played international cricket for the last 7 years. I don't see how he has any credentials for the job. He will neither command respect, nor inspire the other members of the team.
It is always nice to have your captain to be technically flawless, but i believe it is more important to have a captain who is good both on the field and off the field. Shoaib Malik may have limitations with his batting but that doesnt mean he cannot be a good captain.
Re: Breaking News....Shoaib Malik Gets Pakistan Captaincy according to "The Nation"
^^ Yea I checked the stats :D
Is this Shoaib Malik same Shoaib Malik that made 9 runs in 25 balls of super Ireland bowling attack and got out? It was one of the most crucial match for Pakistan in world cup, did he knew? And in his one over that he bowled in the match, he gave away that 9 runs (in his 6 balls), seems a very good all round performance. Well, he also made 21 runs in 32 balls against super Zimbabwe bowling and got out. Unfortunately, he did not bowled against Zimbabwe.
So, his total contribution in the most crucial match was that 21 runs in 32 balls, and 1 wicket. He did not took any catch in both above mataches.
So, what he was awarded the captaincy for? Is it for his 9 runs in 25 balls against super Ireland team, or giving away 9 runs in 6 balls to super Ireland team? Maybe one wicket he took in that solitary over.
Dude, just wanted to acknowledge that I have read your message. I won't respond to any of what you said because you've got some serious misconceptions about both who a Captian should be AND what Malik's recent contributions have been. Cheers.