KARACHI, April 17: All-rounder Shoaib Malik will become the next Pakistan captain in succession to Inzamam-ul-Haq, Cricket Board (PCB) sources said on Tuesday.

“Shoaib Malik has been chosen as the next captain after the refusal of Younis Khan to lead the side,” a reliable source in the board told Reuters. “You can expect an official announcement on Malik later this week,” he said.

“Malik has been picked after careful consideration and taking into account his own performances and also the future of Pakistan cricket,” the board source said.

The Pakistan board had many potential candidates for the captaincy after the refusal of Younis with senior player Mohammad Yousuf and all-rounders, Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq all offering to take up the captaincy.

Malik, 25, who has played in 18 tests and 137 one-day internationals, declined to comment on the issue. “I don't want to say anything because no one has spoken to me about it as yet. When it happens fine,” he told Reuters.

A senior board official, however, confirmed that the new captain would be named in the next three to four days. “I can't say who is under consideration but some candidates have been discussed,” Saleem Altaf said.

Sources said it had been decided Malik would be appointed on a series-to-series basis with his first assignment not until the ICC Twenty20 World Cup in September.—Reuters