Malik to captain Pakistan in T20I

Shoaib Malik has been appointed as the captain of the Pakistani side for the T20I against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. However, he will be the captain for one game only. This comes after Shahid Afridi was banned by the ICC for two games for biting into the ball, making it necessary for another captain to take over the side.

With Mohammad Yousuf not a part of the T20I side, and Younis Khan having only just announced his resignation from the top job, the only options left for the Pakistanis were Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik. Akmal has been in a woeful touch behind the stumps with his gloves and making him the skipper would have sent out wrong signals.

Hence the Pakistani selectors have made Malik the skipper for this one-off game. He has been the captain of the side in the past, having led them in the ICC World T20 as well and leading them into the final of the tournament.

Pakistan has yet to win a single game on the tour. They had lost the Test series 0-3 and the ODI series 0-5 to Australia.