December 17, 2006	Sunday	Ziqa'ad 25, 1427

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KARACHI, Dec 16: The ad hoc committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will announce team manager and media manager for the forthcoming tour of South Africa and the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean when it meets at the National Stadium on Sunday.

While Inzamam-ul-Haq is almost certain to be retained as captain, the ad hoc committee meeting, to be chaired by the PCB chief, Dr. Nasim Ashraf, will hold deliberations whether to stick with Talat Ali as team manager or replace the former opening Test batsman with someone else.

According to the sources close to the cricket board, Talat, who replaced Zaheer Abbas as manager following The Oval Test fiasco, could be axed in favour of ex-Pakistan Test captain Asif Iqbal.

The latter had led the country in the first two editions of the World Cup in 1975 and 1979, but had never managed the team.

The sources also told Dawn that the PCB hierarchy has already picked their man to handle the media on the forthcoming tours some days ago. Pervez Mir, who works as the anchorman for a private TV channel, was time and again seen in the corridors of Gadaffi Stadium and many believe his appointment is now just a formality for the committee members.