December 12, 2006	Tuesday	Ziqa'ad 20, 1427

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LAHORE, Dec 11: Veteran batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq is likely to retain his position as Pakistan cricket captain for the forthcoming tour of South Africa and the all-important 2007 World Cup.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) ad hoc committee, at a meeting in Karachi on Sunday, will take a decision in this regard.

The 1992 World Cup hero, Inzamam, though presently undergoing a bad patch with the bat, is still the top candidate for the captaincy.

The ad hoc committee has no other strong option between Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf, in place of Inzamam, Pakistan’s most capped ODI player and the country’s highest run getter in ODIs.

The committee will also finalise the names of manager and media manager for the two highly important assignments (South Africa trip and the 2007 World Cup).

The chances to fill the post of manager and media manager on merit are bleak, since a good number of joyriders are in and around the PCB Chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf.

Pakistan will start South Africa’s tour in January while the World Cup will be played in the West Indies in March-April.

The committee will also get updates on the bowling action of pacer Shabbir Ahmed whose one-year ban, imposed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for his illegal bowling action, ends on Dec 18.

The committee will also consider presentations for the coverage of domestic cricket from leading TV channels, besides the short-term and long-term financial support to different city cricket associations.

An action plan under the recommendations of the national cricket workshop, held in Lahore recently, will also be considered.