NEW DELHI, Nov 20: Shoaib Malik received a major boost of confidence on Tuesday when Dr Nasim Ashraf, the Pakistan cricket chief, reiterated that the 25-year-old all-rounder was the ideal choice as Pakistan captain.

In the last few weeks Malik has been ridiculed in the media for his handling of the team which lost successive one-day series to South Africa at home last month and the just-ended one in India by identical margins (3-2).

But Dr Ashraf stressed that Malik, who was given the reins following Pakistan’s ignominious first-round exit at the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean, should be given enough time to settle down.

“In my mind when we appointed Shoaib Malik as captain, we knew what we were doing,” he said while talking to media here. “Bob Woolmer had identified both Malik and Salman Butt as future captains of Pakistan in his report after the team returned from the tour of Australia in early 2005. And when Younis, who then was the regular vice-captain, spurned the chance to lead Pakistan after Inzamam’s stepping down, Malik became the unanimous choice in the prevailing circumstances,” he said.

Dr Ashraf claimed that the national side was playing like a unit under Malik in the post-World Cup scenario. “If you look at the track record of our team since the World Cup, I see no reason to feel unhappy despite the defeats against South Africa [who also won the Test series 1-0]. Several new players like Sohail Tanvir, Fawad Alam and Sarfraz Ahmed have emerged and things are looking up.”

“Malik has led from the front in most of the matches and because of that, Pakistan finished runners-up at the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa after a lot of people said the team stood no chance of even qualifying for the semi-finals.”

Meanwhile, the PCB chairman announced that the almost forgotten Asia Cup will be held in Pakistan but the dates of the tournament have been put back until June next year.

“Initially, the Asia Cup was scheduled to be held at the end of April next year. But now we have agreed to hold the tournament in June after the Indian cricket board informed that a hectic international schedule won’t allow their team to participate on the original dates,” he clarified.

After their series against Pakistan concludes on Dec 12, the Indians will fly off to Australia for a four-Test series and the triangular tournament which also involves Sri Lanka before they host South Africa for a Test series.

According to Dr Ashraf, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh will also play in a tri-series in Bangladesh next June.