Pakistan captain has welcomed PCB's new selection policy

Previously, the national selection committee had the authority to pick the final eleven after consulting the captain and coach..

However, under the changed policy, the selectors will now give a 15-member squad for every match or tour and the captain, coach and manager will select the playing eleven for each match..

"It is a good decision because the captain and coach know best what is required before every match. It will give them confidence," Malik said in Lahore..

"Captain, coach responsible for team's success"

He pointed out that the captain and coach are responsible for the team's performance and have to make a game plan before every match..

"So I have always felt they should have the right to pick the final playing eleven," he added..

Malik and former coach Geoff Lawson had several brushes with the former chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed on the issue of the final playing eleven..

Malik, who was recently retained indefinitely as captain by the PCB, said he was doing his best to work closely with the selectors as the eventual aim of both the parties was to see the best team play for Pakistan..

Pak preparing for upcoming ODI series: Malik

Malik also said his team had started preparations for the coming One-Day series against Sri Lanka and were working on several plans to counter the threat posed by Lankan spin duo of Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis..

"No doubt both teams are strong in spin department but Sri Lanka depends on them a lot. But I think our batsmen have the capability of playing them well and neutralising them in the coming series," Malik said..

He pointed out that Bangladesh had defeated Sri Lanka on Wednesday in the ongoing tri-series despite the Lankans playing both spinners..

"I think the more Mendis plays the more the batsmen will start picking him up and his variations. He will then have to improve and come up with new variations to remain on top in his career," Malik noted..

Sri Lanka are due to play two back-to-back One-dayers in Karachi on January 20 and 21 and then the third one in Lahore on January 24 before they return home and take on India for an ODI series..