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Shoaib Malik is to retain the Pakistan captaincy until the end of next year despite the series defeat against India, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf said on Thursday."We will stick to our decision to name him as captain for the year (2008). We will give him our full backing and we feel he can mature into a good captain in time," Ashraf told reporters.The 25-year-old Malik's captaincy and own form have come under the microscope after Pakistan's one-day and test series defeats at home to South Africa and then the disappointing showing in India.Malik led Pakistan in the one-day series in India, which the hosts won 3-2, and the first test in New Delhi which India won by six wickets before going on to complete a 1-0 series triumph.Vice-captain Younis Khan was the captain for the last two tests as Malik was ruled out with an ankle injury.Ashraf said the board had made Malik the captain this year keeping in mind the future of Pakistan cricket."He is young and he will learn from his mistakes. Overall the team's performance in India lacked focus," he said.Ashraf said Pakistan's Australian coach, Geoff Lawson, had been asked to give a detailed report on Pakistan's first test series loss in India since the 1979-80 rubber."The team appeared to lack in mental toughness at times and professionalism. The coach is responsible for this and we will talk to him," Ashraf said.

STEVE HARMISON has got his England shirt back and does not want to give it up, no matter how much graft lies ahead.Fast bowler Harmison was given a stern examination by the conditions in his first international appearance for six months – made to toil for 13-and-a-half hours in the second Test at the SSC in Colombo yesterday, as Sri Lanka eked out a 197-run first-innings lead.Although wickets proved hard to come by, he finished with three for 111 - before Sri Lanka declared on 548 for nine – his final one making Prasanna Jayawardene the third home batsman to perish to his extra bounce.Injuries have restricted the 29-year-old’s appearances in 2007 – and even though he claimed 13 victims in two first-class matches in South African domestic cricket before his arrival here, a back spasm in the final warm-up match forced the selectors’ hand for the first Test of the series.Recalled because of the absence through injury of his regular new-ball partner Matthew Hoggard, however, Harmison persevered for a marathon 41.5 overs.After England had scored 48 without loss in the one hour possible before bad light intervened, Harmison said, “As long as I can look in the mirror at the end of the day and say I have given erything, I am happy – and I feel as though I have.“When I left England for South Africa it was to fight for my Test place.“I got my Test place back and all I want to do is play for England. I feel as though I can go to bed tonight, sleep easy and be happy with my day’s work.“I think I left my wickets in South Africa. I didn’t bowl well in South Africa, but got wickets. I seem to be bowling well here and not getting any.”

Pakistani pacer Mohammad Asif has undergone successful keyhole surgery in Australia to fix a chronic elbow problem that forced him to miss the ongoing series in India.A Pakistan cricket Board official said the surgery was carried out by a well known Australian specialist in Sydney on Monday."The initial reports are that it was not a major operation and it has been successful," Shafqat Naghmi, chief operating officer, told Reuters on Tuesday."But Asif could recover up to three months before he resumes playing cricket," he said, adding that a specialist would soon determine how long the full rehabilitation period will be."We fear he would require to rest for three months, which means he is certainly out of next month's home series against Zimbabwe," he said.Naghmi said Asif would also face a race against time to be 100 percent fit for the home series against Australia tentatively scheduled for March 9.The Australians are due to send a delegation to Pakistan in January after general elections to assess the security situation ahead of their tour, which includes three tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match.Asif has this year had to sit out four one-day games against South Africa and was ruled out of the Indian tour.

Australia have dismissed suggestions they are treating Tuesday's Twenty20 international against New Zealand merely as a bit of fun.The Australians are going into the match without their captain Ricky Ponting and opening batsman Matthew Hayden but insist those selections do not reflect their approach to the abbreviated game.Fast bowler Nathan Bracken told reporters the inclusion of players like Brad Hodge and Ashley Noffke could give the team a real edge because they would be keen to earn permanent places in the side."In the last 12 to 18 months every guy who has played for Australia has wanted to take the opportunity as best they can and put their hand up," Bracken said."For these guys such as Ashley Noffke and Brad Hodge it is an opportunity to put their hand up again and show ... they are good enough to be the next in line."Tuesday's Twenty20 match in Perth is the curtain-raiser to the three game Chappell-Hadlee series, played over the more traditional one-day format of 50 overs a side.New Zealand hold the trophy after completing a 3-0 cleansweep in the most recent series in February and Bracken said the Australians were desperate to avenge those defeats."We just want it back at the moment, that is our main goal," Bracken said. (Reporting by Julian Linden; Editing by Ed Osmond)

Misbah-ul-Haq, who has ignited his Pakistan career in recent months, said he almost turned his back on the game at the age of 23 in favour of a business career.He studied for his MBA in business management and only started playing top-level cricket at 24."Before my first-class debut I was in two minds about which way to go but I chose cricket because of my love and passion for the game," the 33-year-old Misbah told Reuters."Even after two years of choosing cricket though I thought I might have chosen wrong. But in 1999 my fortunes changed, I made my first-class debut and two years later was playing against New Zealand on my test debut."Ever since I have not had any thoughts in my mind apart from playing cricket. I'm now really happy."Misbah was a fringe player for Pakistan three months ago but a successful Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa and a maiden test century against India in Calcutta this week have boosted his credentials.He scored 161 not out at Eden Gardens as Pakistan replied to India's intimidating total of 616 for six declared.Misbah's partnership of 207 with Kamran Akmal earned a draw which means Pakistan can level the series if they win the third and final test which starts here on Saturday

Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif needs surgery to cure a chronic elbow problem, an Australian specialist has told the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)."Asif is likely to remain out of action for two months from the day he has the surgery. He will certainly miss the one-day series against Zimbabwe in January," a PCB source told Reuters on Thursday.The sports injuries specialist in Sydney had recommended surgery after examining Asif and conducting tests over the last two days, board sources said.Asif, who has had to miss the current series in India, was sent to Australia for a third opinion after local specialists disagreed on the treatment needed for the problem.The injury also forced Asif, who has played 11 tests for 51 wickets, to miss three tests in England last year and four one-day internationals against South Africa recently at home.A PCB official said a decision on when the surgery should take place would be made soon. "For the time being he is returning home tonight," the official said.A board source said Asif was likely to have the surgery soon as Pakistan were keen to have him fit for the home series against Australia in March and April.Pakistan have struggled with injury problems affecting their main pace bowlers and recently sent two replacements to India after pacer Umar Gul had to return home with a back problem.

National cricket player Muttiah Muralitharan made two significant deliveries that handed team Sri Lanka its victory against England. He sealed the home team victory against the visiting team with an 88-run in the first Test in Kandy, a city in the outskirts of capital Colombo.Muralitharan, an off spinner, managed to keep off Matt Prior and Ian Bell in the space of three deliveries with the second new ball to end England's spirited challenge.The visiting England team, who was targeting a draw, were bowled out for 261 in the last hour of the match at the Asgiriya stadium, BBC reports said.Fast bowler Lasith Malinga also played well amid Sri Lanka's 7,000 spectators, including at least 3,000 foreign supporters.Sri Lanka took a 1-0 lead and prepares for the second Test, which opens at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Sunday.

Phil Jaques is trying to recover from the mumps in time to play in New South Wales' FR Cup match against South Australia in his home town of Wollongong on Sunday. Jaques is desperate to move off Australia's injury list after being struck by the disease after scoring two centuries in the Sri Lanka series. Jaques is one of a group of players causing concern - Stuart MacGill, Andrew Symonds, Michael Clarke, Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting have all missed domestic games - but he is regaining health. "I'm hopeful of playing but we'll need to see where I'm at physically," Jaques said in the Sydney Morning Herald. "My aim is to play." New South Wales' medical staff will continue to monitor Jaques in case he develops any complications. It now appears he will be fit for the Boxing Day Test and Matthew Hayden, Jaques' opening partner, has also recovered from knee tendonitis. Hayden spent the past week training in preparation for the Chappell-Hadlee Series, which starts in Adelaide on December 14. Shaun Tait, who had to withdraw from the first Test of the Sri Lanka contest, is also on the comeback trail from an elbow problem, but he was outstanding in the Pura Cup match against Queensland, taking ten wickets for the game. The selectors are trying to decide the best way back for Tait, but the bowler is in no doubt about which option he would choose. "I'd rather play for Australia in any game," he told AAP. The squad for the Chappell-Hadlee Series will be chosen on Thursday.