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Sohail's elevation upsets Majid

The appointment of Aamir Sohail as captain of the Pakistan cricket team may have been an act of the Pakistan Cricket Board, but its biggest critic happens to be PCB chief executive Majid Khan.

In fact, so miffed is Khan, that he is reportedly contemplating resignation.

"When his name came up for the captaincy, I did not support him," admitted Majid. "He has violated the code of conduct on a number of occasions. In my view, an undisciplined cricketer didn't deserve to get the captaincy."

Khan's grouse goes back to an incident dating back a year and more, when Sohail installed some of his family members in the box in Lahore stadium. Majid who, as CEO of the PCB, was entitled to the box, requested the intruders to leave, at which point Sohail reportedly got abuse.

"He misbehaved with me last year," said Majid, referring to that incident. "If a player can't respect his chief executive, whom will he respect? I don't think I deserved the words that Aamir Sohail uttered on that occasion."

"I respect the decision to appoint him captain because it was taken by the executive council, which is the supreme body, but I am disappointed and dejected with the decision," Majid said.

Majid, who is both the PCB CEO and the secretary of the selection committee, clearly indicated that he did not think he could work in harmony with Sohail. "As chief executive I am expected to discuss team matters with the captain but I am undecided if I can do the same with Aamir Sohail," the former Test opening batsman said.

Asked who he himself backed for the captaincy, Majid said that he had not thrown his weight behind any particular player. "Some members of the executive council themselves argued that a couple of players are accused of being involved in match-fixing, while Sohail had a bad track record. So they wanted to retain Rashid Latif, whose record and character are impeccable. I personally did not support anyone," Majid said.

All this further complicates an already convoluted situation. Earlier, players of the calibre of Saeed Anwar, Inzamam ul Haq and Moin Khan had indicated that they would not like to play under Sohail.

So the situation as it stands is that Pakistan -- already missing Waqar Younis through injury, Wasim Akram by default and Saqlain Mushtaq through prior county commitments, have a captain who does not have the cooperation of either his own CEO, or of three of the most crucial of his team-members.