The Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to retain Misbah-ul-Haq as Test and ODI captain until the next World Cup in 2015 in order to crush apparent unrest in the national team over the captaincy issue.

Misbah, 40, who has led Pakistan in all formats of the game since late 2010 is not seen as a popular choice to captain in the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand by a particularly strong lobby within and outside the board which has promoted flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi as a better choice to lead the side in one-day internationals.

Even chief selector and team manager, Moin Khan had at a press conference sometime back confirmed there had been discussions held on Misbah’s captaincy and on a possible change in captain.

He later denied he was speaking in specific terms about the ongoing controversy over whether Misbah or Afridi should lead the team.