Azhar, Sarfraz in running for Test, ODI captaincy

E-Paper | June 15, 2026

KARACHI: Pakistan's senior batsman Azhar Ali is set to lose his ODI captaincy but will be appointed as captain of the Test team after the retirement of veteran Misbah-ul-Haq.

Besides, chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq has advised the PCB Chairman Shahryar Khan to appoint wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed as the captain of the ODI team for the tour to the West Indies in March-April, sources in PCB said. “Inzamam has conveyed to PCB Chairman and other high officials about some radical changes needed in the national team set-up following the disastrous tour to New Zealand and Australia,” a well-informed source in PCB said.

He said it had been decided that the PCB Chairman and the chief selector would be having a talk with both Misbah and senior batsman Younis Khan to let them know about the board’s future plans. “It has been decided in principle that Misbah would be advised to announce his retirement after the Test series against the West Indies as captain while Younis would also be advised to call it a day after he completes 10,000 Test runs in the three Tests in the West Indies,” the source said.

He said it has also been decided in principle that after the West Indies tour, Azhar will take over as the new Test captain. “But Sarfaraz will be appointed as the captain of the one-day squad before the West Indies tour in addition to his responsibility as captain of the T20 side,” the source confirmed.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2017

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Hashim

Jan 25, 2017 09:06am

Radical changes?? These are the same steps that have been taken time and time again with no real results. My carry on with Misbah? Why not let him retire now and appoint a new captain? And in my view, it should not be Azhar. The man just does not have any leadership qualities in him. They should appoint a young captain, maybe Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz, or Amir. They cant do any worse than what has been happening.

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Mohammed

Jan 25, 2017 09:06am

Due to Sarfraz aggressive approach to the game he should be made captain all three format or whab Riaz as t20 and the rest to Sarfraz and in all case Azhar should be kept out of captaincy because he is over defensive and will always play for DRAW.

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khan

Jan 25, 2017 09:13am

Good decision of appointing Sarfraz as ODI Captain , but this is just not enough Pakistan team need new fresh blood young players like Babar azam and players like sharjeel who play aggressive , attacking cricket to make sure Pakistan team is back on winning track .

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fair

Jan 25, 2017 09:16am

sarfarz should be made captain in all formats.

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RRS

Jan 25, 2017 09:37am

Very unfortunate that these things are coming out in press. This will affect the players. Decision should be made and then it should be announce to the press. We will never learn from our mistakes. Organizations are not run this way. My opinion.

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Pryor

Jan 25, 2017 09:44am

Azhar is a defensive batsman and does not seem to have the mindset required for an aggressive captaincy. Smith, Virat, Faf and Kane are decent captains and that should be the benchmark. With Azhar, it will be just be a continuation of Misbah.

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Erum

Jan 25, 2017 09:44am

Good decision for ODI captaincy. However, Azher's defensive approach in Test wont work either because Test cricket has become very aggressive.

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Cricket FAN -USA

Jan 25, 2017 10:25am

Picking Azhar as a captain will be a big big mistake. You need someone agressive and result oriented and street smart person and my vote for that would be Sarfaraz Ahmed

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Shairuu

Jan 25, 2017 10:42am

Understood Misbah, but why Younis Khan, he is still one of the top scorer and a good fielder?

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Qamar Siddiqui

Jan 25, 2017 10:44am

Please let YK, play as long as he is fit and can play ... he is great talent and definitely can go few more years with doing justice to his selection in the team on merit.

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Adnan Jidaker

Jan 25, 2017 10:52am

Before making Sarfraz Captain, PCB has to get rid of spent forces like Hafeez , Shoaib Malik & Umar Akmal , otherwise they would start dirty politics in team again.

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Asim Kamal

Jan 25, 2017 11:18am

@Adnan Jidaker agreed 100%

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Khurram Khan

Jan 25, 2017 11:18am

With recent performances of Sarfaraz, I doubt he will even find a place in the squad in the coming months. He is not a good choice to be a captain, instead PCB should appoint either Muhammad Amir or Imad Wasim for captaincy slot. We must look at Cricket South Africa, the way they groom and made Graeme Smith as a captain out of nowhere rather than going for seniority.

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Naveed Khan

Jan 25, 2017 11:27am

why to Azhar to be chosen as Test Captain ? is he deserve even a spot in team ? or it is necessary to have him as captain in the team or otherwise.

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Amer

Jan 25, 2017 11:28am

Again a wrong decision. Azhar ali should be thrown out of the team. Umar Akmal should be thrown out. Both are not dependable when needed. Misbah and Younis should retire. Sarfraz should be made captain of All format of the game. Selection should only be based on merit not shifarish

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Syed Naseem Ahmed

Jan 25, 2017 11:49am

Sarfraz will be a good Captain as he has all the abilities which a Captain should have on the field to fight against any team . It is a good choice . Syed Naseem Ahmed

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Sab Se Pehle Pakistan

Jan 25, 2017 12:04pm

Why force Miabah and Younus Khan to retire? Both of them are fitter then our youngsters. Most importantly both Misbah and Younus deserves a spot in the test team. Making Sarfaraz Ahmed captain of the ODI tean is a good decision but this should have done a while ago.

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Haroon Khan

Jan 25, 2017 12:08pm

@Naveed Khan Azhar has been our highest scorer in tests over the last year and a half. And you are questioning if he deserves a place in the test team? You obviously know nothing about cricket

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Tariq Rashid

Jan 25, 2017 12:05pm

I agree with the decision to appoint Sarfaraz ODI team captain but differs on Azhar Ali being captain of Test team he simply doesn't have the credentials to be the captain of any team, ok he is fine with test team as one down player or even opener as he has got some good innings under his belt but name him captain will bring the team to no. 9 in test matches as well... PCB should never ever think about appointing Azhar Ali as captain this will be a big disaster..

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Que

Jan 25, 2017 12:23pm

Imad Wasim is the best choice of ODI & T20 captain!!!

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M Hassan

Jan 25, 2017 12:23pm

It is nice to have Sarfraz as an ODI captain, but I still believe Azhar Ali don't belong to the ODI side, to begin with. Why are they after those two Younis and Misbah, few of the best players in the test side we have? they usually perform, as a matter of fact, we should bring them back to the ODI side, until we get our ranking back in order. Not too long ago both of them performed really well, especially in England test series without those two, we couldn't have squared of the series. the local venue should be changed to England, due to bad pitches in the UAE we don't do good in Australia and England, PCB should encourage and help the emerging players to play county cricket in England, or big bash and Sheffield Shield in Australia, so they can get use to the climate and the nature of those wickets...

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سے Shaam (Hanafi)

Jan 25, 2017 01:05pm

Bad move,

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BAXAR

Jan 25, 2017 01:05pm

@Khurram Khan "With recent performances of Sarfaraz, I doubt he will even find a place in the squad in the coming months". Based on "recent performance", there will be hardly any player qualifying for the squad. The most "recent performance" was without him in the squad. Who else would you like to exclude based on "recent performance"?. Let me guess. OH, but he was not there either, in the last performance.

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Farooq

Jan 25, 2017 01:05pm

Younis is still scoring hundreds he is 4 years younger than Misbah Why does Younis have to retire? Let Babar Azam develop more before forcing Younis to retire as well

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Masoud

Jan 25, 2017 01:06pm

The PCB selection dramas goes on & on. Pakistan needs a winning team, not the current type losers.

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Abdul Wahab

Jan 25, 2017 01:10pm

and when everyone was telling PCB that their decision was wrong to appoint Azhar as ODI captain and player, they insisted and gave so many losses.

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Naveed Khan

Jan 25, 2017 01:15pm

@Haroon Khan he might be good scorer but he don't deserve a spot in ODI and T20 either ...i and whole nation is questioning his ability as captain but nobody has done enough yet on talks.

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Shahzad

Jan 25, 2017 01:17pm

@Adnan Jidaker agreed

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israr

Jan 25, 2017 01:22pm

good move however I say sarfaraz should be made captain of tests as well he has proven in t20 as good attacking captain azhar with his defensive technique is not captain material he should not be given a club level captaincy and u see in psl he is not been trusted this season as captain, need to get rid of extra burden, azhar should be a test opener and that is all :) sarfaraz should captain Pakistan for min 1 year in all formats and imad should be vice captain in odi and t20 with test match vice captain should be babar azam

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sajid

Jan 25, 2017 01:20pm

Finally...they /PCB have made this decision afteR almost 18 months later while they could appoint Sarfaraz....Thanks Misbah and Azhar for his captaincy....Younis Khan one of the Great Cricketer Pakistan ever had.Brvo Younis...your name will be pen down in Cricket Greats. Only 2 Khans could bring ICC World Cup for Pakistan. "The Great Imran Khan and Younis Khan:

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israr

Jan 25, 2017 01:26pm

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Gaf

Jan 25, 2017 01:25pm

@Naveed Khan Do you even follow sny cricket. Ahzar is the top run getter not just for Pakistan but also a the top among int players. Why would you get rid of your highest run maker in test? ODI yes, test he is best in top 3 of the world.

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bilal

Jan 25, 2017 01:31pm

@Naveed Khan dudeee azhar ali recently scored 400 odd runs in the three test series against Australia !!!! So yes he does earn a place in the test team !!! Try and follow pakistan cricket closely before making such a silly comment

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fAHAD

Jan 25, 2017 01:37pm

No need of YK as he is playing only inning in one series like Shahid Afridi used to do in his career's last matches, new talent like Haris Sohail should be given as he can bowl as well!

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fAHAD

Jan 25, 2017 01:45pm

@Adnan Jidaker yes, Khalid latif , Haris Sohail and Sohaib Maqsood should be added in squad!

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Talal Khan

Jan 25, 2017 01:41pm

in present team only Imad Waseem seems to have a thinking and functional head on his shoulders. He should be made T20 & One day captain..

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fAHAD

Jan 25, 2017 01:41pm

@Que but Imad has't proven as batsman he just can bowl! Pakistan need all rounder like Abdul Razzaque!

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Umar

Jan 25, 2017 02:16pm

@fAHAD totally agree and bring back javed miandad,imran khan, ackrim

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Saud Bin Farooq

Jan 25, 2017 02:32pm

@Khurram Khan just to add in a fact.. Sarfaraz won the under 19 WC... And the only one with said credentials should be considered rather than someone who haven't even played more than 30 ODIs..

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rao abid

Jan 25, 2017 02:35pm

yes i think inzmam take a good decision at crucial time .Azhar is good player but he is not good captain i think he need some improvement to move on in modern cricket to lead from the front.

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Jan 25, 2017 02:44pm

Let misbah go, but what is the logic behind calling it a day for YK. ?

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Ayaz

Jan 25, 2017 03:13pm

YK must retire....He cant play a good inings after 8 bad inings....New team needs to be built.

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Ayaz

Jan 25, 2017 03:21pm

@Naveed Khan ; Azhar is your best test batsman right now....There is no other choice....what r u talking Nadeem Khan sahab.

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Ayaz

Jan 25, 2017 03:22pm

@Khurram Khan ; Does Amir deserve a place in the side...?? What has he done after coming back from Scandal....Nothing.....!!

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Talha

Jan 25, 2017 03:26pm

Rash decision to ask Younis to end his career,

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Kirby

Jan 25, 2017 04:34pm

My take! Sarfraz for T20 and ODI and Wahab Riaz for Test. Both are results driven, aggressive, and passionate in their body language and demeanor. Just my two cents! Still love Pakistan and Pakistan cricket despite our limitations. A "Pardesee" from America.

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syed

Jan 25, 2017 05:24pm

Another disaster in making if azhar becomes test captain. He has no leadsrship capabilities. Defensive and negative mindset as it has been proven in odis. Why the management cant make someone else captain.

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Waseem Sarwar

Jan 25, 2017 05:52pm

@Naveed Khan , did you really wrote that? Azhar has been our top scorer in test cricket in last year and scored over 400 runs in Australia test series which no one has ever done for Pakistan. He is been hailed as most technical batsmen by English and Aussie former cricketers but I guess his educated and calm approach isn't liked by anyone. He has scored more runs than Asad Shafiq + Sarfraz combined and Sarfraz was very ordinary behind the stumps too.

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Waseem Sarwar

Jan 25, 2017 05:52pm

Sarfraz should be appointed as skipper in all three formats but please play him as a batsmen only. He wastes far too many chances behind the stumps and hardly scores more than 30,40. Play him at number 4 in tests and ODIs and for God's sake, find someone who can keep and hold on to most chances. Rizwan isn't the answer too but I am sure we can find a keeper who can keep better than Sarfraz and Kamran Akmal and bat better than Rizwan.

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Qamar chouhry usa

Jan 25, 2017 06:10pm

@Adnan Jidaker :agreed with you 100% these old guard should dropped before handing over to Sarfarz, they are Wahab Riaz, Sohaib Malik,Hafiz,Azhar, U.Akmal (the 5 players are oldage IN/Out ) they never played for team just for 40/50 runs for saving their jobs, never played for Pakistan, next ODI w/c have 2 yrs new blood injected immediately.

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Tariq syed KSA

Jan 25, 2017 06:23pm

No Azhar ali is wrong choice for test captain, he was wrong choice for choice in 2015 same legacy of tuk tuk of Misbah, Azhar ali dropped in 2013 from all format of cricket, on bad recommendation of Misbah his friend from Sui Northern Gas Dropped player Azhar deputed by Sharyar as Captain, that was wrong decision, Azhar is lost 17 ODI out of 30 (lost with Bangla,Eng, Eng, Aust, NZ). He win with ZAMB, WI and S.Lanka. So again wrong decision, enough is enough Azhar ali is not test material for captain, becareful, he is not for captaincy. Second advise, these players are going for overseas for cricket playing (which not performing well) why PCB paying families for first airticket, 5star hotel, $ daily allownce, why they went for out for PICNIC. Stop these PICNIC for free of cost.

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IMran

Jan 25, 2017 06:32pm

Why it took you so long to decide? This should have been done so long ago.

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Adnan Jidaker

Jan 25, 2017 06:31pm

@Que Not now, rather he would be given responsibility of vise captain , also his batting order should be in middle order not in lower order.

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Fraz

Jan 25, 2017 07:49pm

Poor decision making once again by PCB. I think Sheheryaar should resign himself 1st of all. Why force Misbah and Younis to retire. Only time will tell how good Sarfraz is. Just by playing a few shots you do not become aggressive. Captaining a team is a totally different ball game. Losing to Aus is not a big deal. All Asian teams go a loose their. Fielding mistakes were a big factor in loss. What captain can do if players did not catch. Making a new captain does not solve the problem. It creates a new one.

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naveed,usa

Jan 25, 2017 08:10pm

@fair Besides,he should be made chairman of PCB,Chief selector,coach etc.Right! Soon you will be demanding for his ouster.

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ams

Jan 25, 2017 09:20pm

cant keep.missed three stumpings in sydney test.seems people suffer from amnesia.

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Prof@UK

Jan 25, 2017 11:26pm

How will that result in holding their catches?

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SAMI

Jan 25, 2017 11:37pm

Would have been better if the announcement was made after 5th ODI in AUS... Seems like AUS tour is over before the final game

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Prof@UK

Jan 25, 2017 11:39pm

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) can be greatly improved if there is an alternative team selected by popular vote and there are regular matches between the official national team and this "people's team". These matches should be telecasted live. The people's team should be selected by a group of journals after announcing and collecting a vote in a prescribed manner. There should be sufficient cricket between these teams so that there is a (i) rivalry that will bring money, (ii) international cricket in Pakistan because all these players will be of international caliber and (iii) corrective data.

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RIZ

Jan 25, 2017 11:48pm

I don't know why PCB not doing justice with Azhar Ali first they make him ODI captain knowingly that he is not even ODI batsman and now they are trying to make him test captain (while taking ODI captaincy back which they have to because he won't deserve a slot in ODI team) as we have seen his test captaincy and it was a disaster. Azhar Ali is good test batsman who can stay at the wicket and score some runs but keep involving him in captain controversy one day he will be out to the test team and Pakistan will lose a good test batsman.

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optimist

Jan 26, 2017 01:50am

First thing first is to fire all the selectors. PCB don't need to spend two millions every month to select just one or two players and that also on the recommendation of the captain and coach. The chief selector is always with the team on tour so when is he looking at players performances. In the new system the training academies should recommend a list of 30 players to the coach and captain who will short list it to 20 players. Two top domestic performer [best batsman and best bowler] and one from each the under 19 and 16 players are included. The coach, captain and vice captain should prepare their list of 15 and those who are picked by two or more should be selected in the 15 member squad. The tour selection must give a chance to all 15 players unless the team is winning every game then stick to your preferred eleven.

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Mnkhan

Jan 26, 2017 05:14am

@Khurram Khan. You must be kidding right??? Amir as captain?????????????? Please backup you claim regarding sarfaraz in ODIs and check his stats in 2016 first before declaring he is not good enough

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Mnkhan

Jan 26, 2017 05:23am

I agree with most comments that sarfaraz be made captain for all 3 formats Though i do not agree that our current ODI disaster is just becoz azhar as captain is defensive. Hafeez, malik and akmal are experienced enough to read the game and change the game plan uf required We should stick with junaid instead of riaz n rahat. Last match was an exception where amir was hit for 75 runs as well Our pace attack is ok but we need a specialist spinner. We also need a hard hitter in lower order

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Saim Jafri

Jan 26, 2017 05:54am

Younis khan is one of the best players in world cricket today there is no reason for him to retire and what about the job of inzamam his selections are pathetic he should be replaced

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BAXAR

Jan 26, 2017 01:03pm

@Waseem Sarwar "He has scored more runs than Asad Shafiq + Sarfraz combined and Sarfraz was very ordinary behind the stumps too." They can't even qualify for Karachi team. Karachi was forced to bring players from all over the world because locals were not good enough, They were only selected by the lowest ranked teams in PSL Quetta and Islamabad. That shows how useless they are.

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