Sarfraz Ahmed replaces Azhar Ali as Pakistan ODI captain
Thursday 9 February 2017 11:05, UK
Azhar Ali has resigned as Pakistan's one-day captain after a string of poor results and will be replaced by Sarfraz Ahmed.
Ali's job was on the line since Pakistan's 4-1 defeat in England in September last year but he was given a lifeline after he led the side to a clean sweep against West Indies in the United Arab Emirates in September-October.
They are currently eighth in the world, though they were ninth, and they risk having to qualify for the World Cup if they fall out of the top eight again.
"Ali came to me and said that his batting form was affecting due to captaincy and that he wanted to step down, so we have appointed Sarfraz as one-day skipper," Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan said.
Sarfraz, who accepted the one-day captaincy, is already leading the Twenty20 side.
Ali managed just 37 runs in the three matches in Australia and missed the remaining two with injury.
Ali was surprisingly appointed captain after Misbah-ul-Haq retired from one-day cricket following Pakistan's quarter-final exit in the World Cup in 2015.
He led Pakistan in 31 one-day internationals winning 12 and losing 18. One match ended without result due to rain.
