Sohail calls for action against Ashraf

Unhappy with the functioning of PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf, Aamer Sohail, former Pakistan opener and captain, has demanded that Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf, the board's patron, remove the incumbent.

"PCB's new chairman should be a good combination of cricket and administrative knowledge, which are essential to run the affairs of the game," Sohail told the Karachi-based Dawn. "The responsibility also lies with the president, who as patron appointed Dr Nasim Ashraf as the PCB chairman. The whole nation is burning with curiosity as to what action he takes against the man's reckless decisions about Shoaib Akhtar and Saleem Altaf, director cricket operations for World Cup 2011, particularly after the courts gave a decision in the two cases against the board."

Altaf had been sacked by the PCB, but was reinstated by the Lahore High Court - a decision upheld by the Supreme Court - pending the resolution on the writ filed by his lawyers. In April, a disciplinary committee had banned Shoaib for five years from playing for or in Pakistan. The ban was reduced to 18 months and a fine of Rs 7 million by a board-appointed appellate tribunal. Shoaib then filed a writ petition in the Lahore High Court, which suspended the fast bowler's 18-month ban till a final judgment.

Sohail had recently told Cricinfo that Musharraf should be more proactive in convincing international teams to tour Pakistan. "The onus is on the president to convince countries that it is safe to play in Pakistan and that sport has never been targeted here," he said. "The ICC and PCB are going the whole hog in ensuring it happens here but the president can really help with his involvement."

Sohail said the PCB patron should select the chairman through an advisory board comprising former Test cricketers and experts after advertising for applicants.