Abbas Replaced as Manager

Zaheer Abbas has been sacked as manager of the Pakistan cricket team for October’s Champions Trophy in India, and replaced by another former national team batsman, Talat Ali.

The decision, made at a meeting of PCB officials in Karachi, comes on the back of the chaos, confusion and controversy at the forfeited final Test against England four weeks ago.

Abbas came under heavy fire after accusations that he did not fulfil his role within the Pakistan side as the crisis unfolded. While negotiations raged within the dressing room, Abbas was seen talking into his mobile phone on the balcony.

Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chairman who was also present at The Oval, denied that the decision not to reemploy Abbas was not however part of the fallout from the ‘Hairgate’ disaster. Managerial contracts for the Pakistan side are rarely made for more than one tour, and only earlier this year Salim Altaf accompanied Pakistan in Abu Dhabi to play India, despite Abbas having managed in Sri Lanka beforehand.

56-year-old Ali played 10 Tests for Pakistan, with limited success, but amassed 7268 First-Class runs at an average of 38.40. He has also represented the ICC as a match referee in 26 one-day internationals between 1997 and 2000.