LAHORE: Pakistan chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq declared on Friday that Azhar Ali will return to leading the team in the fourth One-day International against Australia in Sydney on Sunday if he is passed fit.

“He [Azhar] wasn’t available for the third ODI [in Perth on Thursday] on fitness grounds and he will be leading the team once he regains match fitness,” the former Pakistan captain told reporters.

Pakistan trail Australia 2-1 in the series after losing in Perth.

Stand-in captain Mohammad Hafeez had raised hopes of a comeback when he led Pakistan to victory in the second ODI in Melbourne — Pakistan’s first victory on Australian soil in 12 years — but they lost in Perth to fall behind once again in the five-match series.

Inzamam admitted the fitness levels of the Pakistan players wasn’t exemplary but he said the team had been playing non-stop cricket for the last six months with series against England, West Indies, New Zealand and now Australia.

“There are fitness issues,” he said. “But we’re trying our best to improve.”

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2017