Malik was asked to step down as captain by the Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ejaz Butt this week and senior batsman Younis Khan was appointed as the new captain for the coming Test series against Sri Lanka. Pakistan lost the three-match one-day series 1-2.

"I told the Chairman that it was not the right time or right way to change the captain and even if Malik had to go it should be done after the Sri Lanka test series. I told him abruptly changing the captain after just one bad series would hurt the image of Pakistan cricket internationally," Miandad, who stepped down as PCB Director-General complaining of "insignificant" role in Board affairs earlier this week, said.

Qadir had also opposed axing Malik on the basis of the one-day series loss to Sri Lanka but coach Intikhab Alam, manager Yawar Saeed, chief operating officer Saleem Altaf and Butt wanted a new captain.

"I told them I didn't have objections to giving the captaincy to Younis but I was not in favour of the reasons given and procedure adopted to make the change," Miandad said.