KARACHI, Aug 2: Waqar Younis was retained Pakistan captain till this September’s ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka.

The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Lt Gen Tauqir Zia believed Friday that it was never a difficult decision to make.

“The team is doing great and Waqar’s own performance is an inspiration for his boys. I don’t think it is a difficult decision to make,” Tauqir said.

Waqar reached the peak of his brief captaincy’s tenure when he led Pakistan to a marvellous 2-1 victory over Australia in the Super Challenge Series-II in Australia.

“Of course we are looking at Waqar as potential Pakistan captain for next year’s World Cup. But we have to stick to our policy of series-by-series appointments.

“It gives the establishment as well as Waqar himself to monitor his progress. But so far, the PCB is absolutely satisfied with Waqar’s performance and of his team,” Tauqir said.

Waqar will now spearhead Pakistan in this month’s Morocco Cup, the golden jubilee tournament in Kenya and finally the Champions Trophy. He will have a minimum of 10 one-day internationals and a maximum of 15 one-dayers to further consolidate his position as captain till the World Cup.

“I can’t be more delighted. I feeling is superb and I am over the moon at this stage,” Waqar said from Lahore.

“It gives the player an added boost to do better and improve his performance and justify the confidence that has been trusted upon him,” Waqar said.

Waqar didn’t mince words in saying that he would like to lead Pakistan in the World Cup — the biggest achievement for any cricketer — but added that leading Pakistan has always been a great honour.

“Leading the Pakistan cricket team is something that makes me very proud. It is an honour that very few cricketers have got and I am one of them.

“But I must thank my team-mates here without whose cooperation and support I have never been successful. I feel very lucky to have players who want to deliver for the country and keep the green flag aloft,” he said.

AFP adds: all-rounder Abdul Razzaq and off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq return to Pakistan team for the tri-series in Morocco after missing the Australian tour, Pakistan Cricket Board announced Friday.

“Razzaq and Saqlain are back in the 15-man squad, but pacer Shoaib Akhtar has been rested for Morocco as the pacer is recovering from fatigue,” PCB director Chishty Mujahid said.

The tri-series is being held at cricket’s newest venue in Tangiers, Morocco from August 12 to 21. South Africa and Sri Lanka are the other two teams taking part.

Razzaq and Saqlain missed Pakistan’s one-day tour of Australia in June as they were playing English county cricket for Middlesex and Surrey respectively.

Pakistan will go on to Kenya for another tri-series, with world champions Australia and Kenya from August 29 to September 9, but the team for the Kenya tri-series is to be announced later, Mujahid said.

Team: Waqar Younis (captain), Inzamam-ul Haq (vice captain), Saeed Anwar, Shahid Afridi, Imran Nazir, Younis Khan, Yousuf Youhana, Rashid Latif, Abdul Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood, Shoaib Malik, Wasim Akram, Mohammad Sami, Saqlain Mushtaq and Misbahul Haq

Manager: Yawar Saeed. Coach: Mudassar Nazar.