PCB has made an exception for injured captain Misbah-ul-Haq and has retained him to stay with the team even after being ruled out for remaining of the series against New Zealand underway in UAE.
PCB has taken the decision to let Misbah stay with the team to avoid confusion spreading in the Pakistan camp about prospects of replacing captain for all-important World Cup.
It is PCB’s rule to send injured players back home from tours for rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.
A PCB official has been quoted as saying that the decision to retain Misbah with the team was purely taken to avoid any wrong impression that might have happened had Misbah returned home. Misbah picked a hamstring injury during the second ODI of the series.
Shahid Afridi has been named stand-in captain during the rest of the series. Although PCB has tried to dispel any wrong impression regarding the captaincy for the World Cup down Under, debate has already started whether the defensive Misbah be put in charge for the World Cup or should it be Shahid Afridi, who led Pakistan to a massive 147-run triumph in the third ODI against New Zealand at Sharjah, after posting huge 364 run total on board. Afridi himself scored a whirlwind fifty in the match.
