Musharraf honours Woolmer with Sitara-i-Imtiaz

The Pakistan president, Pervez Musharraf, has honoured Bob Woolmer with the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, a posthumous civil award, for his services to Pakistan cricket. Woolmer died in the team hotel in Jamaica on Sunday, a day after Pakistan were eliminated from the World Cup after losing to Ireland by three wickets.

"Pakistan cricket shall, forever be indebted to his services and this nation will always remember him for the joys he brought into the lives of millions of Pakistanis," Musharraf said. "The sudden passing away of the much respected and loved coach of Pakistan deeply grieved me, just as it did the entire Pakistani nation."

The Sitara-i-Imtiaz, which translates to English as "Star of Excellence", is one of the highest honours awarded to a civilian in Pakistan.

"We shall all greatly miss him," Musharraf said. "The cricketing world and Pakistan, in particular, will find it extremely difficult to fill the void Bob's death has left behind. I must add that he did his job with great distinction and commitment. Pakistan cricket shall forever be indebted to his services.

"Bob's reputation as a great cricketing mind, an excellent player and a trainer par excellence preceded him when he was brought in to coach the Pakistan cricket team."

Investigations by Jamaican police find the cause of death are ongoing, with two local newspapers citing unnamed police sources as saying that that Woolmer may have been strangled.