Pak team manager Saeed to quit after Champions Trophy

Karachi:

Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed on Thursday said he would step down after the ICC Champions Trophy which gets underway in South Africa on September 22.

Yawar, who left with the team today for the eight-nation tournament, said he has already informed the PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt about his decision.

"I had wanted to step down as manager after we returned from the tour of Sri Lanka. But the Chairman asked me to continue for the Champions Trophy," Yawar said.

"Since the Champions Trophy is a big event and there is lot of work involved in it for the manager specially while dealing with the media, I accepted this last assignment as manager," he added.

The 74-year-old Yawar has come in for lot of criticism in recent times because of his old age and his handling of the issue of suspected Indian bookmakers interacting with Pakistan players in Colombo on their recent Sri Lankan tour.

Yawar one of the oldest cricket administrators in the country said he wanted to step down as he needed to devote more time to his business and family.

"I have managed the national team on several tours many of them very successful ones. So there is really no real desire left to be manager anymore. But I am always willing to serve Pakistan cricket in any other capacity," he said.

Yawar said the tight international schedule and the constant travelling around was something he wanted to avoid now. "There is absolutely no problems between me and the board or with the players. I have managed some of the top players and they have always been respectful towards me. It has been a rewarding experience," he said.

Yawar said he would love to see Pakistan win the Champions Trophy in his last assignment as manager. "But all your wishes don't come true. But I just feel that if our players play to their potential and the middle order batting clicks we can win this trophy as we have a very strong outfit with lot of depth," he said.