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18-Jul-2010 15:36:00 GMT
Pakistan v Australia, 2nd Test, Headingley

Malik Should Gave Replaced Afridi

Karachi: Former Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson feels Shoaib Malik should have replaced Shahid Afridi as skipper of the national cricket team instead of Salman Butt.

PCB elevated vice captain Butt to captain's post after Afridi announced his retirement from Test cricket.

A huge 150-run defeat against Australia in the first Test in England prompted Afridi to call it quits.

Malik did not play the first Test as the selectors preferred youngster Azhar Ali over him.

Malik was first appointed captain in April 2007 following Pakistan's first-round exit in the 50-over World Cup and was later replaced by Younis Khan.

Lawson, who was sacked as coach by PCB before the completion of his two-year contract, reckoned time was ripe to hand captaincy to Malik.

Malik led Pakistan in three Tests but was unable to win any of them. He won 24, including a record 12 consecutive wins, in 36 ODIs he captained.

Malik was also in charge of the team in the inaugural World Twenty20 where Pakistan agonisingly fell short of the target in the final against India.

"Malik did a good job as captain and at that time he was learning how to lead a side. He was taking the right steps in the right direction and if he's named as Afridi's successor, I don't think it'll be a step backwards by the PCB," he said.

Lawson feared that Butt's early elevation to top post may harm his career.


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