Pakistan in last-chance saloon

Shoaib Malik is restored to the Pakistan captaincy, possibly just for their final match on tour, a Twenty20 in Melbourne

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Pakistan have one final chance to beat Australia tomorrow on a chastening tour when they clash in a Twenty20 international at the MCG.

The tourists - world champions in the shortest form of the game - have been whitewashed in both the Test and one-day international series and beset by internal problems.

But stand-in skipper Shoaib Malik - in charge following the two-match ban handed out to Shahid Afridi for ball-tampering - is determined his side will go out on a high.

“We have to win this game,” he said. “We are professionals and we are not (simply) looking forward to us going back to our country after 100 days. We're just concentrating on tomorrow's match.

“The Test matches and one-dayers have finished now and we have just one Twenty20 left so we have to put everything in this match, we'll 100% try to win this game."

Malik dismissed any concerns about security for his team in Melbourne, in front of what is expected to be a 70,000 plus crowd, after Khalid Latif was tackled by a pitch invader in Perth.

"I think we've played enough international cricket in Australia to know that security's nothing [to be concerned about]," he said.

"Whatever happened in Perth was just a bit of an incident (and) they (Australian crowds) love and support cricket.

"Whoever's playing well they support them and I think that's all anybody wants from a crowd."

Meanwhile, Mohammad Yousuf has vowed to fight on as captain in other forms of the game despite not winning a game on tour.

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt had indicated midway through the tour that Yousuf, who took over after Younus Khan stepped down in November last year, would be replaced by a younger player.

Khalid Latif is manhandled by a spectator in Perth, but Malik brushed aside any wiser concerns over security on this tour

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Chief of selectors Iqbal Qasim quit last week, but the 35-year-old Yousuf maintains he has not failed.

“I didn’t do badly as captain, not as badly that I should resign or quit,” he said.

“I accepted the captaincy when no one was willing to take the job for these difficult tours. I will continue for the sake of the country.

“I have not been a defensive captain. I led the team according to the situation and according to our strengths.”

Yousuf was critical of Butt’s comments on the captaincy and also believed the results in Australia could have been better.

“It did affect our performances and it hit the morale of the team,” he said. “Some of the players even started fancying their chances of becoming captain.

“I admit our performance was bad throughout the series, it was an unsuccessful tour for us. The result in Australia could have been better had we batted and fielded better.”

Yousuf also questioned the actions of Afridi, who was caught on camera biting the ball.

“I don’t know why he did it but it brought a bad name to the country,” he said. “The good thing is that at least he has realised his mistake and admitted it.

“I hope he does not repeat it again. Pakistan cricket does not need such incidents.”