Butt gives Malik vote of confidence

Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, has suggested that Shoaib Malik will stay on as captain of Pakistan in 2009 despite calls for him to be replaced. Malik's performance was due to be reviewed on December 31, 2008 - when his tenure was originally supposed to end - but it's highly likely he will be retained, especially after gaining Butt's vote of confidence.

"Shoaib Malik will remain as the Pakistan captain till the time he continues to deliver," Butt was quoted as saying in the News. "I believe that he has done a good job in recent times."

Malik was appointed after Pakistan were eliminated from the group stages of the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies. His achievements include reaching the finals of the ICC World Twenty20 the same year, beating India in the Kitply Cup final in Bangladesh the following year and a 3-0 sweep in the ODI series against West Indies in Abu Dhabi in November. He led Pakistan to a country record 12 successive ODI wins though the bulk of them came against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh earlier this year.

However, he's had limited opportunities to lead Pakistan in Tests as they've been deprived of Test action in 2008 due to security concerns. His skills as a leader were questioned when his former team-mate Mohammad Yousuf and, other senior players, criticised him for being a poor communicator.

But Malik found support from his coach Intikhab Alam who believed he should be retained for another year. A final decision on his tenure is expected soon.