Mohammad Hafeez will be wearing the captain's hat for Pakistan's next One Day International (ODI) against Australia, to be played in Melbourne on Sunday, Pakistan Cricket Board announced Saturday.

The decision came after ODI captain Azhar Ali was incapacitated following a hamstring injury in the first ODI in Sydney, which Pakistan lost by 92 runs.

Ali has been prescribed rest for the next two matches, but it is hoped that he will be available to play the fourth and fifth ODIs of the series.

Pakistan's ODI vice-captain Sarfaraz Ahmad would have stood in as captain, but he had been dropped from the side so that he could return to Pakistan and attend to his ailing mother.