Salman Agha tipped to become Pakistan's all-format captain
Salman Agha is all set to become Pakistan's all-format national cricket team skipper after impressing selectors and new white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, sources told Telecomasia.net.
The 31-year-old was appointed Twenty20 international skipper for the Zimbabwe leg of the tour to give regular skipper Mohammad Rizwan rest but Salman has impressed with his clarity of thoughts and resolve in the short period.
"Salman has been impressive in the opinions of the selection committee, new head coach Hesson and, above all, the chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board Mohsin Naqvi. All are on the same page that he should be the all-format captain," said the sources.
A decision is likely to be announced after the Eid holidays.
The decision means ODI skipper Mohammad Rizwan has lost favours with the PCB and the selection committee in which the strongest influence is that of Aaqib Javed, added sources.
Rizwan was at the loggerheads with Aaqib on the tour of New Zealand where Pakistan lost the ODI series.
Rizwan publically criticised lack of authority as skipper in matters of selection on the New Zealand tour.
Pakistan lost the ODI series in New Zealand 3-0 which came on the back of a disastrous Champions Trophy 2025 tournament at home where the team crashed out in the first round.
Test skipper Shan Masood was also tipped to be sacked after Pakistan lost nine out of 12 Tests under his captaincy since December 2023.
Masood's worst phase was a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Bangladesh, Pakistan's first loss against the lowly ranked team. Pakistan also drew a relatively easier series against the West Indies 1-1 last year.
That defeat left Pakistan on the ninth and last position of the World Test Championship's third cycle. They finished fifth and seventh in the first two WTC cycles.
"Masood's captaincy was unimpressive and timid, so he was destined to lose captaincy. Moreover, Masood's own performance was poor so Salman will also take over from him," the sources said.
Pakistan's next tour is of Bangladesh for a three-match T20I series with matches on July 20, 22 and 24.
Pakistan then play five T20Is against the West Indies in USA and the Caribbean.
As for the Tests, Pakistan hosts South Africa for a two-match Test series in October.
In the WTC fourth cycle (2025-2027) Pakistan will also host Sri Lanka and New Zealand while their away series are in Bangladesh, the West Indies and England.
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