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Anwar steps down as Pakistan's captain

Pakistan's off-field cricket problems grew a step worse on Monday as captain Saeed Anwar stepped down from captaincy after just five Tests in charge.

"Anwar came to us and told us that due to health problems and pressure he wants to step down from captaincy and would like to concentrate on his batting,'' Yawar Saeed, director of operations at the Pakistan Cricket Board told reporters.

Moin Khan will lead Pakistan in the Sharjah tri-series starting from March 22 until Pakistan's return trip to Sri Lanka in June.

Inzamam-ul-Haq will be his deputy.

The Pakistan board had announced just last week that Anwar would lead the side until July this year. But Anwar sprained his neck after colliding with umpire Mohammad Nazir during the second Test against Sri Lanka in Peshawar and was ruled out to play in the on-going Karachi Test.

Anwar is in Pakistan's preliminary squad of 18 for Sharjah but a final decision will be taken on Tuesday.

"There was no pressure on Anwar from the Pakistan board and we honoured his decision. The management has discussed the matter with Khan and told him about the decision,'' Saeed said.

Khan reportedly declined to lead Pakistan last month ahead of the Sri Lankan team's arrival.

Anwar's team lost all three one-dayers against Sri Lanka and the first two Tests of the on-going Test series.

Ace pacer Wasim Akram was ruled out from the Sharjah tournament also involving India and South Africa.

"Akram tried his groin but conveyed to us that he is not 100 per cent fit and doesn't want to be a liability,'' Saeed said.

Saeed said Akram will be fit for the West Indies tour starting next month.

Allrounder Azhar Mahmood and off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq were also ruled out due to injury.

The squad: Moin Khan (captain), Inzamam-ul-Haq (vice captain), Saeed Anwar, Ejaz Ahmed, Yousuf Youhanna, Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan, Abdur Razzak, Arshad Khan, Shoaib Malik, Shoaib Akhtar, Imran Nazir, Waqar Younis, Wajahatullah Wasti, Mohammad Akram, Shahid Nazir, Irfan Fazil and Mohammad Naveed.