Misbah appointment shocking, says Akram

New Delhi:

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram is shocked at the appointment of Misbah-ul-Haq as Pakistan captain for the two-Test series against South Africa, starting November 20.

Speaking from Karachi on Saturday, Akram said: "I was surprised when I heard that Misbah has been named the Pakistan captain. He has been out of the team since the beginning of the year and to bring him back as a captain was a bit shocking."

The legendary pacer believes that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) needs to think long term as age is fast catching up with Misbah.

"If they have named him the captain for one series, it's okay. He is already 36 and the PCB needs to find a long-term solution to this problem. I do not know what's the vision of the selectors," Akram said.

However, Akram was quick to point out that the Pakistan board was short of options when it came to naming the captain.

"They (PCB) did not have too many choices. Kamran Akmal is there but he is inexperienced. They have also tried Shoaib Malik. Mohammad Yousuf is making a comeback after a long time and he should just concentrate on his batting at the moment," the 44-year-old said.

Akram also said that Misbah will be under a lot of stress in the upcoming series against South Africa and he may find the going tough initially.

"Misbah will be under pressure. He will have to improve the image of Pakistan cricket. For Misbah handling the media and getting runs himself could be demanding," said Akram.

Looking ahead to the series against the Proteas, Wasim felt, "The wickets in Dubai might suit Misbah's style of batting, but you cannot take the South Africans lightly. They are a very tough opposition under any conditions. Misbah needs to work hard and make sure he earns the faith of the team. If he gets runs, everything else will take care of itself."