Butt named new Test captain

In a statement issued after Board chief Ijaz Butts meeting with team management and senior players,the PCB said wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal would be Butts deputy.

Salman Butt was appointed as captain of Pakistan Test team for the 2nd Test match against Australia and the four Test matches against England, the PCB statement said. Kamran Akmal was appointed as vice-captain for the remaining five Test matches on England tour. All players confirmed their full support to the newly appointed captain and vice-captain, it added.

The meeting also discussed whether former captains Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf should be drafted in to lend experience to the side but decided to defer the matter. The matter regarding Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousufs inclusion in the team was also discussed but was deferred, the statement said. Besides Ijaz Butt,the meeting was attended by manager Yawar Saeed,coach Waqar Younis,Salman Butt,Shoaib Malik,Kamran Akmal and Umar Gul.

Imran lashes out at Afridi

Karachi: Meanwhile former captains Imran Khan and Aamir Sohail lashed out at Afridi for letting Pakistan down by announcing Test retirement in the midst of a tour in England. I think Afridi has further compounded the problems and destabilised the team with his decision.He should have accepted the captaincy as a challenge and played Test cricket, Imran said.

Sohail also agreed. All that he is saying that he is not ready for Test cricket and it does not match his temperament. But he should have known about this before accepting the captaincy. He has let everyone down and he is now trying to cover up his blunder, Sohail said.