Pakistan's 'focus is now on cricket'

Shaharyar Khan, the Pakistan chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has given the best assurance yet that the one-day series against England could go ahead. Speaking to PTI, Khan confirmed his side's commitment to the forthcoming series and says their 'focus is now on cricket'.

A disciplinary hearing on charges faced by Inzamam-ul-Haq, for ball-tampering and bringing the game into dispute, was due to be held on Friday but it has been deferred. The date of the hearing will be announced tomorrow.

"The players did not want to play the one-day series with the sword of the hearing hanging over them but now they have realised the importance of playing," Khan explained. "Our focus is now on cricket. I've held meetings with the Pakistan players and captain. I've told them we don't have any problems with the ECB so we must continue with the tour."

The postponement of the hearing is due to the unavailability of Ranjan Madugalle, the ICC chief match referee, whose sister recently suffered a serious accident. Both England and Pakistan have requested Madugalle as the adjudicator, which was confirmed by the ICC chief executive, Malcolm Speed, who is flying to London in the next 48 hours to tackle the situation head-on.

Despite a calming of the waters in England, back in Islamabad, Pakistani MPs of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) party have tabled a motion in the lower house to discuss the issue. "We urged the government to formally intervene in the matter," Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, the senior MMA leader, told AFP. "We support Inzamam's decision," he said adding that the Pakistan captain was justified in registering his protest after the team were dubbed 'cheats'.

Pakistan face England in a Twenty20 match on August 28 at Bristol.