KARACHI (Reuters):

PAKISTAN HAVE reduced the powers of their captain after appointing a new selection committee in the wake of the team's World Cup debacle.

"We have curtailed the power of the captain in the sense the selectors will now finalise the playing XI for a home series," Zakir Khan, director of cricket operations for the Pakistan Cricket Board, said.

"Previously the selectors used to select the 15 or 16-member squads and the captain and coach finalised the playing XI."

Pakistan appointed all-rounder Shoaib Malik as captain last month after Inzamam-ul-Haq stepped down as skipper and retired from one-day internationals after the team's first-round exit from the recent World Cup in the Caribbean.

Zakir said the captain would be consulted by the selectors on all matters, but they would have the final say.

He added that a committee including the manager, coach, captain and vice captain would select teams on tour, with the manager given more say on selection issues.

Zakir said the changes were made to give the selectors more responsibility and to ease pressure on the captain.

The new selection committee, headed by former Test player Salahuddin Ahmed, was named by the board last month after the previous panel quit.