MELBOURNE: Mohammad Hafeez will captain Pakistan in the second One-day International against Australia on Sunday after regular skipper Azhar Ali was ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Hafeez, who has captained his country in Test and T20 cricket before but never in ODIs, will lead the side in the second match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday and probably the third game in Perth on Thursday with Azhar expected to return for the fourth match in Sydney on Jan 22.

Regular vice-captain Sarfraz Ahmed would have normally stepped into the role, but was forced to leave the tour earlier this week and return home to Karachi to be with his ill mother.

Azhar, who posted a history-making double-century in the Boxing Day Test, retired hurt when on 12 in the opening ODI in Brisbane before returning later in the innings, but he was clearly hampered throughout.

In a statement, the Pakistan Cricket Board expected Azhar to ‘recover quickly and ... return to play in Sydney and Adelaide.’

Hafeez has won 17 of 29 matches as T20 captain and stood in for Misbah-ul-Haq for a single Test against Sri Lanka in 2012, which Pakistan lost.

Pakistan, who have lost their past 16 matches on Australian soil, will also be without fast bowler Mohammad Irfan for the rest of the series (personal reasons) but veteran Shoaib Malik is expected to return on Sunday having missed the opening match due to illness.

Coach Mickey Arthur lamented his side’s misfortune on Friday night after the home side recorded a convincing 92-run win.

“Losing Sarfraz, Irfan, Malik and Azhar was all a bit of a calamity,” the South African said. “But we’ll pick up the pieces and see who’s available for Sunday.”

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2017