Pakistan manager to quit after Champions Trophy

Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed has said that he will quit his post after the ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa. Saeed revealed that he wanted to leave at the end of the Sri Lanka tour last month to devote more time to his family and business but was asked by the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, Ijaz Butt, to continue for one more series.

"I wanted to step down after we returned from the tour of Sri Lanka. But the chairman asked me to continue for the Champions Trophy," Saeed told Dawn. "Since the Champions Trophy is a big event and there is lot of work involved in it for the manager, especially while dealing with the media, I accepted this last assignment."

A former first-class cricketer, Saeed took over as manager before the ODI series in Abu Dhabi against West Indies last year after Talat Ali stepped down.

Saeed was in the news recently in Sri Lanka where it was alleged that bookmakers tried to make contact with Pakistan cricketers at the team hotel. Saeed denied those allegations and added there was never any friction between him and the players or the board.

Saeed also said that he was willing to serve Pakistan cricket in any other capacity in future.