ISLAMABAD, Jan 30: The Islamabad Cricket Association has appointed Rao Iftikhar as the captain while making wholesale changes to its squad for the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Grade I tie against Lahore Whites.

Rao replaces Ali Naqvi as the skipper who has been dropped for the Feb 1 to 4 match in Lahore.

Naqvi has been axed along with two other guest players Iftikhar Hussain and Saeed Ajmal. Another guest Saad Janjua has however been retained.

Test all-rounder Azhar Mahmood has been brought in and the onus will be on him to perform and help Islamabad earn their first points.

Both Islamabad and Lahore Whites are without a point in the Trophy and their upcoming clash would decide which side avoids relegation.

The team: Rao Iftikhar (captain), Azhar Mahmood, Bilal Asad, Muhammad Altaf, Asif Ali Saeed, Farrukh Hayat, Rashid Amin Butt, Atif Ashraf, Ashar Zaidi, Muhammad Zahid, Saad Janjua, Anwarul Haq, Sajid Mahmood, Rauf Akbar, Shakir Mahmood and Tauseef Satti.