Azhar Ali who? Pak’s new ODI skipper

Pakistan have named Azhar Ali as their one-day captain though the 30-year-old played the last of his 14 ODIs two years ago.
The inexperienced top-order batsman replaces Misbah-ul-Haq who retired from ODIs after Pakistan’s World Cup quarterfinal exit at the hands of eventual champions Australia.Ali, picked over the likes of Muhammad Hafeez, Fawad Alam, Sarfraz Ahmed, Sohaib Maqsood and veteran batsman Younis Khan, was not even included in the final 15-man World Cup squad.
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan insisted he had proved himself in the domestic Pentangular Cup. “Azhar Ali has been appointed captain because of his leadership skills, team spirit and character,” Khan said.
Ali’s most recent game was in January 2013, when he contributed two with the bat as Pakistan beat India by 85 runs at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens. He has played 39 Tests. He was also named the vice-captain for the Test side, which Misbah will continue to lead, while big-hitting allrounder Shahid Afridi stays on as Twenty20 skipper.