Sydney, Jan.26 (ANI): Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt has rubbished talks about sacking Mohammed Yousuf and of Shahid Afridi being appointed as the captain of the national squad after the ongoing Australian series.

Butt blamed the media for misquoting him on the issue.

“I said Afridi will be captain after the one-dayers with the Twenty20 team , then he will be captain in England (where Pakistan plays two Twenty20s), then we have the Twenty20 World Cup where Afridi will be lead the side,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Butt, as saying.

Butt had come under fire from different quarters for announcing Yousuf’s removal in the middle of the one-day series Down Under.

Former captains Aamer Sohail and Inzamam-ul-Haq had also lambasted Butt for his statement , saying he should have waited for the one-day series to get over before announcing Yousuf’s removal.

Meanwhile, speculations in the Pakistani camp are rife regarding Afridi being appointed as the new one-day captain and might even take over the reins of the Test team next month.

PCB insiders said Afridi has emerged as the favourite man to lead the side and also enjoys support of his teammates, who are reportedly not happy with Yousuf’s captaincy.

“Afridi bhai is the most suitable person for captaincy.He is widely respected as a senior player and is admired for his aggressive style,” one of Afridi’s teammates said on conditions of anonymity.

“The problem with Yousuf is that he lacks leadership qualities. Afridi, in contrast, is the sort of player who can get the best out of his players. He knows how to command and guide them on the field. I’m sure he can be a good captain,” a team official said. (ANI)