CDGK to inaugurate cricket, hockey stadiums in a week

The City District Government Karachi (CDGK) is all set to inaugurate two cricket stadiums and one Astroturf hockey stadium within a week, The News has learnt.

Moreover, the construction of a cricket stadium in New Karachi Town and a stadium in Baldia Town has been completed; a hockey stadium in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town has also been renovated and upgraded.

Sources in the city government said that all necessary arrangements have already been made at these three stadiums and they are ready for inauguration. These stadiums have been constructed and developed according to the best possible standards for international matches. The fields of these cricket stadiums are larger than the field of the National Stadium.

Sources told The News that both cricket stadiums — in New Karachi and Baldia Town — have the capacity to accommodate 10,000 people each, while the hockey stadium can house 5,000 people. The capacity of all these stadiums will be enhanced in the future.

State-of-the-art Astroturf has been laid at the hockey stadium in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, which is named after Olympian Ifikhar Syed, sources said, adding that known international consultants gave their input in laying the astroturf. Floodlights have already been installed at these stadiums, they said. Moreover, the pitches have been made with mud from Nandipur, Multan. “The city government especially ensured that the pitches and fields are good enough for international matches,” they said. “Special attention was paid to develop proper pitches in these stadiums.”

Sources said that former Pakistan Cricket Team captain Rashid Lateef played an important role in the development of these stadiums. Some more stadiums are also being built by the CDGK; they will be inaugurated soon.

The city government wants to maintain these stadiums using public-private partnership, sources said, adding that due to limited resources, it is not possible for the city government to maintain these stadiums on its own. Renowned personalities of the areas concerned will be asked to come forward and make their contribution in this context.

Committees in every town have been notified to supervise activities at stadiums in their respective areas, sources said. International players will oversee these committees, and monitor the selection of players in their towns, sources said.

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Waqar to be Pakistan bowling coach

PCB has roped in Waqar Younis as bowling and fielding coach of the national team for their tour of Australia this month.

The 40-year-old Waqar who is presently working as a commentator in New Zealand will join the team before the first Test begins in Melbourne from December 26.

Pakistan play three Tests, five one-day internationals and a twenty20 in Australia.
"Waqar has agreed to become the bowling and fielding coach for this one series," a board official said.

"His future assignments with the Pakistan team would be decided after the tour to Australia. His appointment has been made keeping in mind his vast experience of international cricket," the official added.

Pakistani players dropped several catches during the first two Tests in New Zealand prompting captain Muhammad Yousuf and coach Intikhab Alam to issue a warning to the players despite winning the second Test in Wellington.

Former Test skipper and pace great, Waqar, took 373 Test and 416 ODI wickets for Pakistan and is presently settled in Australia with his family.

He had a brief stint as bowling coach with the national team two years ago but resigned after differences with the board on his area of work and authority.

The board official said that Intikhab Alam and Aaqib Javed would continue to fulfill their duties as coach and assistant coach while Waqar would work on the bowling and fielding aspects of the team in Australia.

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Pakistan Wants Series Against ICC World XI

KARACHI (Reuters) - Pakistan's cricket authorities have proposed a fund-raising one-day series in England next year against a world XI selected by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after failing to attract teams to play in Pakistan because of security fears.

The idea was proposed by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ejaz Butt during a meeting with the ICC special task force on Pakistan in Dubai last week, Ramiz Raja, a member of the task force, told Reuters.

"There was discussion on the need for Pakistan to keep on playing international cricket and find ways to help it raise funds," Raja said, adding that the proposed series would probably be discussed by the ICC's executive board when it met in Dubai early next year.

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Butt denies reports about rift in team

Karachi, Nov.14 : Notwithstanding Younis Khan's remarks about altercations among senior players in the team, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt has said there is no rift inside the squad.

"I don't believe in these speculations. Every time the team is not doing well, these kind of speculations and rumours (of internal rift) start coming around, and there is nothing like that in the team. Younis needed a break and he took it," Butt said.

Commenting on Mohammad Yousuf's appointment as the Test captain, Butt told media persons over phone from Dubai that he was the best option available following Younus Khan opting out of the series against New Zealand.

"We concluded that Yousuf is the best choice at this time to lead the team as he is the senior most player in the side. He was the ideal alternative and there were no disagreements over his appointment and we are confident he can do the job in New Zealand," The Dawn quoted Butt, as saying.

Meanwhile, reports are that the PCB's Governing Council is unimpressed by Butt's decision to appoint Yousuf as the skipper for the New Zealand series without consulting it.

Council members Wazir Ali Khoja, who is likely to replace Butt after his retirement, and Muhammad Ali Shah claimed that he did not take the council into confidence while announcing Yousuf's name for captaincy.

"Perhaps because he (Butt) was in Dubai and everything was happening there, so he took decisions.But, with improved communication facilities in the modern day world, the PCB chairman could have set a good example by talking to the council members on a very important issue," Khoja said.

Referring reports about differences among players in the team, Khoja said things would get clear only when Butt briefs the council personally over the issue.

"From the way things have gone, it looks the players were not happy with Younis so he stepped down but we will only know the real story when the chairman returns and we get a briefing from him," he said.

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Administrators blunder make laughing stock of cricket

Pakistan cricket is not alien to crisis. From time to time we have experienced it in every era and the present one is not any different to others.

The reason mainly being poor governance by those at the helm who had little or no ability at all to control the situation and, to save their own skin, they would succumb to all kind of pressures.

Sadly, a great majority of those administrators were forced upon the system to run the game as they pleased. The present lot is not any different.

Already a year in the office, they have neither managed to have a constitution nor have been able to convince their critics about the irregularities in maintaining accounts.

This is a huge scam and even the governing body of the PCB, which is supposed to bring some sort of transparency in the working of the board, has so far failed to make their presence felt.

The few voices of dissent from a couple of members from time to time in the meetings did little but not enough to go past the deaf ears of the PCB chairman who could have done the game some service had he not so far resorted to arbitrary decisions.

The appointment of Mohammad Yousuf as the captain for the tour of New Zealand has also come about in a similar fashion.

The members of the governing body once again have been made to look like the ‘dead ducks’. Their feathers have long been clipped from the time they joined the board and the future members will not be any different.

In a crisis like the one which resulted in Younis Khan quitting the captaincy and the tour, strong management should have made sure to shove off all the nonsense that has been going around within the team and should have made sure to back their captain to set an example for future conspirators to learn what happens when player-power raises its head.

In my experience there were only two men at the helm of the cricket board who knew what they were doing to make sure that the game is always greater than the players.

When in 1976, the players led by Mushtaq Mohammad demanded more fees to play in the Tests and challenged the board that they would not take the field in the Hyderabad Test against New Zealand, the then President of the board Abdul Hafeez Kardar, a former captain, gathered another eleven and warned the players that unless they withdraw their demands they would not be playing for Pakistan.

The players had to bow down and a huge scandal was averted.

Similarly, when most of the stalwarts of the 1981-82 tour to Australia came back home, having played under a young Javed Miandad, they revolted against his brand of leadership and would not agree to play against Sri Lanka in the 1982 home series.

That included Majid Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Imran Khan, Wasim Bari etc.

Air-Vice-Marshal Nur Khan, the president of the board then who had initially appointed Miandad as captain, would not take it lying down and dropped all those not willing to play to bring in new players.

Salim Malik was one of them, who on his debut at Karachi scored a century in the second innings and went on to become one of the finest batsmen of the country.

Saleem Yousuf got his opening also because of the rumpus. The rebellious players, however, came back in the fold in the final Test at Faisalabad when Miandad himself withdrew from the captaincy but not before he had won the series to give Imran Khan the opportunity to captain Pakistan in England in the 1982 series.

Serious situations need drastic measures. Presently, there are no decision makers about the team affairs and that is quite alarming.

Pakistan cricket is adrift without a radar and navigation system which is rusty and out of date and now in need of urgent repair. Leaving it too late would mean more pirates coming overboard to challenge authority.

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Black Caps folied by Pakistan

New Zealand came up seven runs short as Pakistan claimed a Twenty20 series victory in Dubai.

Umar Akmal's 56 off 49 balls, his best haul to date at international level in the 20-over format, proved crucial for Pakistan who sealed a 2-0 series success.

Scott Styris gave the Black Caps a glimmer of hope with 43 off 33 balls but they were unable to pull off the required last-over heroics as they posted 146 for five.
Akmal helped Pakistan to a respectable 153 for five batting at three, a tally featuring five fours and a six.

His supporting cast were less impressive, however, as Black Caps bowler Ian Butler, who took no wickets for 42 runs from his three overs in the first clash of the sides at the same venue yesterday, claimed three victims this time around to give his side hope.

Butler overcame the indignity of a wide and then being hit for six by Imran Nazir in his first over by removing the opener for 19 after he tried to play his shot too early and was skittled.

He took his second wicket in the seventh over as Kamran Akmal was trapped lbw for 26.
Shahid Afridi added 22 to the Pakistan total off 17 balls before he was caught at deep midwicket by Shane Bond off the bowling of Nathan McCullum.

Butler's third wicket came in the 15th over as Shoaib Malik skied a shot to Styris running in from deep extra cover and Abdul Razzaq was out for a first-ball duck to James Franklin.

Umar Akmal was the man who kept the scoreboard ticking over with Fawad Alam contributing a very handy 17 off 13, including a six off Butler in the penultimate over.

It took until the fourth over for Pakistan to make their first breakthrough as Bradley-John Watling fell for seven to Sohail Tanvir edging to Kamran Akmal, but Brendon McCullum - who finished with 47 off 41 balls at the top of the order - kept New Zealand competitive.

However, it was his dismissal in the penultimate over by Saeed Ajmal which effectively ended any hope of a surprise recovery.

Martin Guptill became the first of two victims for Umar Gul for 17, who skittled him before claiming the wicket of Styris with the last ball of the match, caught by Malik.

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Pakistan cricket takes yet another u-turn

KARACHI: It was immediately after Pakistan suffered a stunning defeat to New Zealand in the one-day series decider in Abu Dhabi earlier this week that Younis Khan sought a meeting with Ijaz Butt.

The Pakistan captain wanted to have a heart-to-heart with the country’s cricket chief, who had promised to retain Younis as skipper till the 2011 World Cup just a few weeks ago.

Well-placed sources told ‘The News’ that Younis clearly explained it to Butt, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, that he was facing a revolt as most of his teammates were deliberately under-performing under his leadership.

“You saw what happened today, didn’t you,” Younis was quoted as saying in that meeting with Butt, by a source close to the middle-order batsman. Younis was referring to the fact that Pakistan collapsed from 47-0 to 101-9 while chasing a modest New Zealand total of 211 in the series decider. Most of the batsmen fell while playing rash shots before tail-enders Mohammad Aamer and Saeed Ajmal put on a sensational last-wicket stand of 103 to almost win the match for Pakistan.

“The chairman agreed that something was definitely wrong but stopped short of saying that he would do something about it,” said the source.

It suddenly dawned on Younis that his time as Pakistan captain was up. “He (Younis) immediately decided to ask for a break when he realised that the PCB chairman was unwilling to support him any more. He knew that the players revolting against him will not be asked to explain their below-par performance,” said the source.

Information gathered by this correspondent revealed that such fate was in store for Younis soon after he led Pakistan to a shocking defeat against the Kiwis in the Champions Trophy semifinal in South Africa last month.

According to sources, former team manager Yawar Saeed and associate manager Shafqat Rana had convinced Butt to sack Younis soon after the Champions Trophy loss and the trio had agreed to install all-rounder Shahid Afridi as the one-day captain and to give the Test leadership to Mohammad Yousuf.

However, things took a dramatic twist when Younis resigned after his team was accused of match-fixing by Jamshed Dasti, who heads the National Assembly’s standing committee on sports.

Younis, the man who led Pakistan to a memorable World Twenty20 triumph in England last June, received enormous support from all quarters. It forced to Butt to change his mind and extend Younis’s tenure till the 2011 World Cup subject to form and fitness.

Sources claimed that though Butt took that decision, he was not very happy about it and was relieved to let Younis go after the series defeat against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi. The fact that Younis miserably flopped with the bat in the series also went against him.

But is this latest change in captaincy good for Pakistan cricket? It doesn’t seem so.

More than two years back, when Pakistan were looking for a new captain after Inzamam-ul-Haq had to quit following a disastrous World Cup campaign in the West Indies, a fact-finding committee was formed by the PCB. It was headed by none other than Butt, then a member of the PCB Governing Board. At that time, the Board’s decision-makers ruled Yousuf out concluding that he can’t be a good captain. Eventually they settled on Shoaib Malik, a young all-rounder without any impressive credentials when it came to Test cricket. Less than two years later last January, it was Butt who dumped Malik and replaced him with Younis after a couple of embarrassing one-day defeats home against Sri Lanka.

If Yousuf was not a good choice to be captain in 2007, how come he is the best available player for the tough job now that he is older and nearing the twilight stages of his international career?

Secondly, it is an open secret that around nine of the Pakistani players were unhappy playing under Younis and wanted him out. By initially backing Younis and then leaving him on his own under the pressure of the revolting players will send all the wrong signals. It’s like telling the players that ‘if you don’t like your captain, just stop performing and we are going to find a new one’.

By bowing to the so-called ‘player power’, Butt has only proved once again that he is a weak boss who is not even capable of backing his own man.

Apart from Butt, another man who has emerged as the central figure in this fiasco is Yawar Saeed. It is common knowledge that the former Pakistan manager is Butt’s close friend and got the job because of that connection.

It was Yawar, who created havoc for Pakistan cricket by talking to reporters about suspicious characters approaching his players during this summer’s tour of Sri Lanka. Those comments enabled the menace of match-fixing rear its ugly head once again and caused a big headache for the country’s cricket authorities.

It was Yawar, who took Afridi for a meeting with Butt behind Younis’s back soon after the team returned home from South Africa last month and tried to get the vice-captain installed as the new captain. That move only added to fuel to the fire and encouraged the anti-Younis camp to continue conspiring against him.

Sources said that Yawar was unhappy with Younis because the captain wanted a free hand in cricketing matters. “Yawar wanted all the powers for himself and was looking for a more submissive captain,” said a source.

With Younis out of the picture, there is even a possibility that Yawar might make a comeback as manager for the tour of Australia next month.

All in all, just four months after conquering the cricket world at Lord’s Pakistan cricket is once again in complete disarray. With two very challenging assignments coming up in New Zealand and Australia and the next World Twenty20 championship less than six months away, that’s the last thing one wanted.

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Pakistan claim easy win

A half-century from Imran Nazir helped Pakistan trounce New Zealand by 49 runs in the first of two T20 internationals in Dubai.

Opener Nazir gave Pakistan a superb start with 58 off just 38 deliveries, but they then imploded in typical fashion with only Abdul Razzak (26 not out) and Shahid Afridi (24) making worthwhile contributions to a total of 161 for eight.

However, that score was more than enough as Afridi and Razzaq capped all-round performances by claiming a brace each to steamroll New Zealand for a mere 112 in 18.3 overs.

Nazir survived a considerably testing first over from Shane Bond with the new ball - he was hit in the ribs off the first ball - but built a solid platform.
Ian Butler bore the brunt as Nazir launched his attack with consecutive sixes, the bowler conceding 42 from three overs.

Nazir, who had lost both Kamran and Umar Akmal early, reached his second Twenty20 half-century with a six off Nathan McCullum and in the process put on 36 in quick time for the third wicket with Afridi.

Bond, easily the pick of the Black Cap bowlers, returned to remove Nazir and Aaron Redmond dismissed Afridi in his first over as Pakistan's innings unravelled.

New Zealand, already missing regular captain Daniel Vettori, Kyle Mills and Jacob Oram, suffered another blow with Redmond pulling out in the middle of his third over with a groin strain, the all-rounder having caught and bowled Shoaib Malik by then.
New Zealand would have fancied their chances but struggled with the chase from the start.

Left-arm fast bowler Sohail Tanvir sent back Martin Guptill in his first over, but Mohammad Aamer inflicted bigger damage, snaffling stand-in captain Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor to reduce the Kiwis to 34 for three.

Razzaq then dismissed Scott Styris and Neil Broom and New Zealand slipped further when debutant Bradley-John Watling (22) - the only batsman apart from Nathan McCullum (22) to offer some resistance - was stumped off Saeed Ajmal.
Nathan's departure soon after signalled the end.

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NZ win series despite Pakistan last-wicket century stand

ABU DHABI (Reuters) - New Zealand scored a thrilling seven-run triumph over Pakistan to win the one-day series 2-1 despite a valiant last-wicket partnership of 103 between Mohammad Aamer and Saeed Ajmal on Monday.

Pakistan, chasing 212 for victory, seemed down and out at 101 for nine but 17-year-old Aamer struck 73 not out and Ajmal hit 33 as the pair came within three runs of equalling the world record stand for the 10th wicket in a one-day international.

West Indians Viv Richards and Michael Holding put on 106 against England in Manchester in 1984.

Aamer achieved his highest ODI score and Ajmal batted well after earlier taking four for 33 with the ball.

Ajmal was out to the first delivery of the final over, caught brilliantly at fine leg by Kyle Mills off Jacob Oram.

Aamer took a liking to Daniel Vettori's bowling, hitting the spinner for three sixes.
Earlier, Pakistan lost five wickets for 12 runs to slump to 86 for eight.

Medium pacer Oram took three for 20 while seamer Tim Southee claimed two for 26.
Quick-scoring opener Brendon McCullum lashed 76 in 78 balls but New Zealand slid from 72 for nought to 211 all out in 46.3 overs.

Ross Taylor added 44 while paceman Umar Gul took his 100th ODI wicket in his 67th match when he removed Aaron Redmond for 21.

The teams now meet in two Twenty20 internationals in Dubai on Thursday and Friday.

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Inzamam-ul-Haq backs Shahid Afridi as ODI captain

Inzamam-ul-Haq, the former Pakistan captain, has called for Shahid Afridi to lead the one-day side as well. Afridi was named Twenty20 captain after Younis Khan retired from the format after leading Pakistan to the World Twenty20 title in June and has continued to excel as a match-winning allrounder.

Afridi was instrumental in this summer's triumph, turning in Man-of-the-Match performances in both the semi-final and the final. "I think after becoming Twenty20 captain Shahid has shown that he has become more mature and responsible as a player also," Inzamam was quoted as saying by the Times of India.

The last five years have been the most productive of Afridi's career, where despite brief patches of indifference, he has established himself as a fixture in Pakistan's limited-overs set-up. His form has been particularly good this year, with impressive performances in the ODI series and Twenty20 against Australia in Dubai in May, his critical role in leading Pakistan to the World Twenty20 title, and now in the first ODI against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi. Allied to his player-of-the-tournament contributions in the 2007 World Twenty20, another indicator of his suitability to this format, Afridi's ascension became inevitable.

"I think it would be a good choice because Afridi also gets along well with the other players of the team and has good communication skills and since he was given responsibility, he has been very effective in his individual performances as well," said Inzamam.

He also said that Younis' run of bad form represented a longer pattern of ODI indifference this year: "He is under pressure and unless the captain is contributing as a player it adds to the pressure on the other members of the team."

Inzamam also criticised Younis, the coach Intikhab Alam and chief selector Iqbal Qasim for Shoaib Malik for the first game against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi. "It is a stupid thing they did because he is too experienced a player to be dropped or sacrificed for accommodating two regular openers," he said. "Malik's exclusion has spoilt the balance of the team and this will be obvious against stronger sides."

After the ongoing limited-overs series in the UAE, Pakistan will travel to New Zealand for three Tests after which they hop across the Tasman to play Australia.

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Speak to me directly: Younis to teammates

KARACHI: Pakistan captain Younis Khan on Wednesday adjured his teammates to discuss fearlessly any issue with him and insisted he was not responsible for any communication gap.

Younis' comments came in the backdrop of vice-captain Shahid Afridi's revelation that some players had issues with Younis but were hesitant to approach him directly.

"I personally think that players should have the courage to fight for their rights and discuss their issues openly with the captain and management," Younis said.

Younis refused to agree that he was responsible for the communication gap in the team that has been highlighted a great deal by Afridi in recent days.

"I don't think I am responsible for this if there is any communication gap between the players it is because of the weak team management," he said.

The Pakistan cricket Board has changed the management of the national team for the coming series against New Zealand by dropping manager Yawar Saeed and his assistant Shafqat Rana whom Younis has blamed for the problems in the team.

Younis claimed some players of the team had complained to the PCB against him, which was the other reason apart from match-fixing allegations that prompted him to resign from the post before being persuaded by the Board to stay on.

"Yes, some players did go and complain about me to the Chairman of the board. I consider them weak people because if they had any problems they should have come to me and talked to me I would have tried to resolve the issues," Younis said on a popular sports show.

Younis admitted that captaining Pakistan is not an easy job and carried lot of stress and tension.

"I remember Shoaib Malik as captain used to smoke all the time," Younis said on the show.

Younis dismissed allegations that he was not good at communicating with his teammates.

"That is not true I have always remained a private person but as captain I have attempted to communicate with everyone. After we beat India in the Champions Trophy, I arranged an outing for everyone but some of the players didn't show up even as I kept waiting outside the hotel," he recalled.

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Pakistan not to hire security guards for series in UAE

Karachi, Oct 28 (IANS) Pakistan's cricket authorities have decided against hiring private security guards for their 'home' series against New Zealand that will get underway in United Arab Emirates in November.

After 'wasting' millions of rupees for hiring private bodyguards for a limited-overs series against Australia in Dubai and Abu Dhabi early this summer, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided against continuing the exercise.

Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, said that the Board will rely on the security arrangements made by the UAE authorities for the limited-overs series against New Zealand that will be played in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

The PCB came under fire for spending more than $100,000 to hire private guards for the series against Australia especially after a UAE Police official disclosed soon after the series that most of those guards had no combat training and were previously working either as cooks or drivers.

The PCB chief said that for the Australia series, the Board didn't have enough time which is why it relied on private security firms.

Butt added that this time the PCB will pay an undisclosed amount to the UAE authorities for any extra security measures that need to be taken during the series that will include three one-day internationals in Abu Dhabi followed by back-to-back Twenty20 Internationals in Dubai. The series will conclude on November 13.
The series was supposed to be played in Pakistan but was shifted to UAE because of security concerns.

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Afridi wants a break from Test cricket

Shahid Afridi has told Pakistani selectors not to consider him for Test matches until next year's cricket World Cup.

"There is a lot of international cricket being played these days and I think it is better if I focus on these two forms of the game in the period leading up to the World Cup," Afridi said.

Afridi, who last played a Test in July, 2006 in England, said the next two years were very important for Pakistan cricket with the T20 and 50-over World Cups lined up.

"I would love to see our team winning both competitions and I feel we have the potential to do this," the spin all- rounder told the 'Jung' newspaper.

Afridi said not playing Test matches would help him stay fresh for the T20 and ODI matches. He has played 285 ODIs compared to just 26 Tests in his career which began in 1997.

The national selectors have already omitted him from the Test squad announced for the upcoming tour of New Zealand and named him captain of the T20 side until the next T20 World Cup in the West Indies.

He also dismissed reports of differences with captain Younus Khan.

"Both of us go a long way and we respect each other. I have always supported him as player and captain and I will continue to do that in future as well," he said.

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No difference of opinion with Younus, says Afridi

Karachi: Happy with Pakistan Cricket Board's decision to retain Younus Khan at the helm of national team, his deputy Shahid Afridi today said there is no difference of opinion with the captain.

Afridi also rubbished the media reports in the country which said there might be a difference of opinion between the all-rounder and Younus, who recently tendered his resignation protesting the match-fixing allegation made against the team.

"There has been lot of speculation in the media and some people are also trying to create differences between me and Younus," Afridi said.

"We get along well and I am happy that he is captain and I will continue to support him wholeheartedly. I play with my heart and soul for Pakistan at every given opportunity," Afridi added.

Younus tendered his resignation last week after being accused of match-fixing by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Sports but the PCB did not accept the same and made him skipper till 2011 World Cup.

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Pak players don't want Younis Khan as skipper

KARACHI: Pakistan Cricket Board's decision to reject Younis Khan's resignation and appoint him captain until the 2011 World Cup has miffed a section of players in the team who were threatening to revolt if the senior batsman was persisted with as skipper.

"For the time being things appear to have calmed down and become normal in Pakistan cricket but given all that has happened after the Champions Trophy, it will take sometime before any healing process between Younis and the players who complained about him to the PCB is effective," a source said.

The source said PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt decided to support Younis and go against the disgruntled players after getting a clear message from the corridors of power in Islamabad.

"A very influential government official had already spoken to Younis two days back and told him his resignation was not acceptable to the chief patron of the board President Asif Zardari and the same person also had a word with Butt on the issue and passed on a clear message," the source said.

He said ever since the team's return from South Africa, some players led by Shahid Afridi had told Butt that they didn't want Younis to continue as captain and they had problems with his attitude and domineering behavior.

"Younis was aware of what was happening behind his back with apparently the approval of manager Yawar Saeed and he played his cards right by using the match fixing allegations to submit his resignation to Butt," the source said.

"The strong support from the media, people and political parties for Younis after he submitted his resignation took Butt by surprise and eventually he had no option but to ignore the complaints of the players," the source said.

He said the decision by the governing council to name Shahid Afridi as Twenty20 captain until the T20 World Cup next year was to appease Afridi and the other players who had even planted stories in the media about a possible revolt if Younis continued as captain.

"But now the players have been told to accept the fact that they have to play under Younis and the PCB will continue to support him. But at the same time Butt has advised Younis to work out his issues with the disgruntled players in the interest of the team," the source said.

A close friend of Younis said that the senior player was very miffed at the way some of the players went against him behind his back.

"He is upset and disappointed and he conveyed this clearly to pace bowler Umar Gul who went to meet him and sort out things," the source said.

The source said Butt was planning to have a meeting with all the players and the captain by next week before they go to Abu Dhabi and Dubai for the One-day series against New Zealand to try and diffuse the situation.

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Younis 'happy' to return as captain

Younis Khan has taken back his resignation, paving the way for his return to the Pakistan captaincy, satisfied that the environment in which he will continue leading the side is now more conducive than before.

Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, said on Monday that the board had rejected the resignation Younis handed in last week. At the same time he offered Younis the stability that he has wanted since becoming captain in February this year, saying that, if fit, he will captain Pakistan till the 2011 World Cup.

Younis said he was overwhelmed with the support he had received in the week after he handed in his papers at a National Assembly committee hearing in Islamabad. "I am very happy right now," Younis told Cricinfo. "The faith that the chairman and the board has placed in me again, it's good to know. The support that I have received from the board and the country through this time has been fantastic."

There were believed to be various reasons behind Younis's resignation, though he never openly stated them. It is believed that as well as the suspicions of match-fixing raised in the aftermath of Pakistan's Champions Trophy semi-final loss to New Zealand, murmurs about factions in the team and management working to undermine Younis spurred the move.

Younis met Butt last week and it is understood that he set down some conditions which would have to be implemented before he could come back. Stability of tenure was one, though those close to Younis insist he didn't want an assurance till the 2011 World Cup. A streamlining of the selection process, as well as changes in the team management were thought to be the other conditions.

Younis refused to go into details, however, maintaining only that, "the environment is good right now and I am very happy with it. All that has happened over the last eight months, all the effort is worthwhile now." Younis said he expects to be fit for Pakistan's next assignment, an ODI and Twenty20 series against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

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PCB rejects Younis resignation

The Pakistan Cricket Board has rejected Younis Khan's resignation as captain and has said he will stay on in that role, fitness permitting, until the 2011 World Cup.

The announcement, by PCB chairman Ijaz Butt, followed a meeting on Monday of its governing board to discuss the issue.

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Alam open to batting at any position

Pakistan allrounder Fawad Alam, who scored back-to-back centuries for National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, has said he is willing to bat at any position if he makes it back to the national side.

Alam was dropped from the one-day squad after scoring 54 in three matches in Sri Lanka in August and is hoping to get a recall for the series against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi next month. "I have been asked to bat in a number of positions already in my career and as long as I am in the Pakistan team, I am more than happy to bat wherever my team needs me to bat," Alam told Pakpassion.net.

"My aim is to perform to the best of my ability in every match, whether it's for my domestic team or for my country, I will always give 100% effort."

Alam, who scored a hundred on his Test debut, scored 126 in NBP's innings win over Lahore Shalimar last week and followed it up with an unbeaten 154 against Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) in an ongoing match in Lahore.

Alam said NBP were looking favourites in the Quaid-e-Azam after their early successes. "I'm really pleased that I have hit back-to-back centuries. I felt really confident today, it was hard work out there and although the wicket at the Gaddafi Stadium gave plenty of assistance to the fast bowlers, I was middling the ball quite nicely. Hopefully I can continue this good form. We are amongst the favourites, but its a long season and we need to continue to work hard and play good cricket."

Pakistan cricket is going through yet another controversy as national captain Younis Khan offered his resignation following speculations about the team's exit from the Champions Trophy. The board is expected to take a decision on his captaincy on Monday. Alam hoped the outcome would be in the best interest of Pakistan cricket. "Younis is a good captain and I hope he will continue as the skipper," Alam said.

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Younus skips meeting on CT performance

Having resigned from captaincy, Younus Khan skipped a review session on Pakistan's ICC Champions Trophy performance.

The meeting held to review the performance of the team in the event was attended by vice-captain Shahid Afridi, coach Intikhab Alam, manager Yawar Saeed, assistant manager, Shafqat Rana, chief selector, Iqbal Qasim and chief operating officer of the board, Wasim Bari.

"Captain Younus Khan did not attend as he had held a detailed discussion a day earlier with the Chairman and had advised about his absence from this meeting," a PCB statement said.

The statement said after discussions, the unanimous opinion of the participants that Pakistan's performance at the Champions Trophy was more than satisfactory.

"This was followed by a discussion on Pakistan's upcoming series against New Zealand. Chairman PCB outlined various strategies leading up to the Twenty20 World Cup in 2010 and the World Cup 2011," the statement said.

"Such meetings will now be a regular feature as these discussions give insight on various matters and solutions for benefit of cricket," Butt said.

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Younus demands reign till WC

Younus demands reign till WC

Younus Khan told the PCB that he would withdraw his resignation only if he is retained at the helm till the 2011 World Cup.

Younus, who resigned two days back after being grilled of match-fixing charges by the National Assembly standing committee on sports, met Pakistan Cricket Board chief Ejaz Butt and demanded if he was to remain as captain he would want the job till the next World Cup.

A top PCB source confirmed that Younus and Butt had a long meeting and the senior batsman, who was being asked by the PCB chief to take back his resignation, made his stand clear.

"Younus made his position very clear to Butt that he is not taking his resignation back until all his conditions are met by the board, the most important being his appointment as captain on a long-term basis," a PCB source told PTI.

"He wanted an announcement that he will be made captain until the next World Cup so that some players who harboured ambitions of replacing him got down to concentrating on their game," he added.

The source disclosed that Younus had brought to Butt's notice about the intrigue by some players and officials to replace him as captain and also conveyed his disappointment that the PCB chief preferred to meet vice-captain Shahid Afridi, the manager and coach separately to discuss the ICC Champions Trophy performance.

"Younus also told the chairman that he was disappointed that the board didn't come out with a clear statement in favour of the team when the allegations of match-fixing were first made against them and taken up by the chairman of the National Assembly standing committee on sports," the source said.

Although Younus submitted his resignation to the PCB chairman during the hearing of the NA committee to protest over the match fixing allegations made against him and the team and the remarks by the committee chairman Jamshed Dasti but sources said the crisis runs deeper.

The 'Dawn' newspaper reported today that some players were not getting along with Younus since the tour to Sri Lanka this year and they also planned a revolt if the board didn't accept the resignation by Younus.