KARACHI, Jan 11: Expressing optimism, Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Dr Nasim Ashraf is hoping that Zimbabwe’s tour would clear the way for the Australians who are scheduled to visit Pakistan in March.

“I am extremely happy and thankful to Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) and Peter Chingoka for sending their team to Pakistan and giving their total support to the PCB for the tour,” Dr Nasim told reporters at the National Stadium on Friday.

“They [ZC] took keen interest in the tour and it will be a good opportunity for the Zimbabweans to perform,” he added.

He hoped that the Australian team will tour Pakistan as per schedule.

He dispelled the impression regarding having different captains of the Pakistan team for Test and One-day Internationals.

The board chief claimed that Shoaib Malik is a talented captain, who has been named to lead the team in both formats of international cricket till December 2008 for which contract has already been awarded to him.

“It [concept of separate captains] is not suitable in our environment and could destroy the team so we are sticking with one captain for both formats,” he asserted.

Responding to the question concerning the issue of some Pakistan cricketers appearing in the breakaway Indian Cricket League (ICL), he said these players were being dealt with as per the International Cricket Council (ICC) policy, adding if the ICC changed the rule in this regard, the PCB would also change its approach accordingly.

On a query regarding Mohammad Yousuf’s issue with the ICL, the PCB chief said a date has been fixed for the hearing in the Lahore High Court (LHC) where the ICL’s legal adviser and its PCB counterpart will be heard on Jan 24.

The PCB chairman made it clear that no change would be made in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy format launched this year, adding that from next year instead of two, four teams will be relegated to the lower grade.—APP