PCB Chief Summons Chief Selector Moin Khan to Discuss Captaincy Controversy
A day after Pakistan's chief selector Moin Khan told the press that a change in ODI captaincy is being discussed, Pakistan Cricket Board chief Najam Sethi issued a rejoinder, making it clear that only he had the power to appoint the captain and was of the opinion that Misbah-ul-Haq should remain skipper until ICC World Cup 2015.
The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board Najam Sethi has summoned chief selector Moin Khan to Lahore for a meeting on Thursday following the outbreak of a controversy over the captaincy issue.
Just hours after former Test captain, Moin Khan told a press conference in Karachi on Tuesday that a change in captaincy had been discussed for the one-day side, Sethi issued a rejoinder making it clear only he had the power to appoint the captain and that as far as he was concerned, Misbah-ul-Haq would remain skipper until the World Cup 2015.
"Obviously this faux pas by Moin put the board in an embarrassing position since given the track record of Misbah's captaincy in Test and one-day cricket and his own form there is no justifiable or logical reason for changing him as captain of the one-day side before the World Cup," an insider in the PCB told PTI.
"Sethi was not very happy when he learnt about what Moin had said although he has great faith and fondness for the former captain," the insider said.
"He has called Moin for a meeting to sort out any miscommunication about the captaincy and make his views clear on this," he said.
Sethi has also appointed Moin as manager of the national side. Moin ignited the captaincy debate when he said that discussions had been held in the board over changing Misbah as ODI captain but no final decision has been taken as yet. But Sethi insisted there was no change in plan and Misbah would remain captain.
"Only the chairman is authorised to appoint the captain and the selectors job is to select the team," Sethi reminded.
He made it clear that whatever the personal views of the selectors regarding who should be the captain he was clear in his mind there was no reason to replace Misbah for the World Cup. It is no secret that Moin and a lobby in the board strongly believes that Misbah is too defensive to be leading Pakistan in limited-overs cricket and flamboyant allrounder Shahid Afridi is the best choice for the job.