Sports Min backs Afridi to lead Pak in World Cup

Pakistan Sports Minister Ijaz Hussain Jakhrani believes that flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi is the best man to lead Pakistan in the forthcoming Cricket World Cup in the sub-continent.

Jakhrani threw his weight behind Afridi while speaking to the media here, insisting that the all-rounder had the capability to inspire the team to win the mega event.

"I would tell the Pakistan Cricket Board don't change the captain now and stick with Afridi. He is experienced and he is leading the team. There is no reason to change him now before the World Cup," Jakhrani said.

PCB is due to name the World Cup captain on February 4 when the team would be busy playing the one-day series in New Zealand.

Jakhrani said that the team had been performing well in New Zealand which was a good sign for the World Cup.

"I think Afridi now has the confidence and maturity to lead the team well in the World Cup," he added.

The minister also said that the cash awards announced for the medal winners in last year's Asian Games would be distributed on Thursday.

"The athletes who won the hockey gold medal and medals in snooker, wushu, squash and kabbadi will get their cash awards as the government had promised earlier," he said.

The distribution of the cash rewards among Asian Games athletes has been delayed although the announcement was made in late November.

The delay has caused resentment among the hockey players and other athletes who were apprehensive that the government would not fulfill its promise.

The cash awards range from 0.5 to five million rupees for the medal winning athletes.

The delay had also raised concerns that some of hockey players would eventually be forced to opt for the lucrative World Hockey Series being planned by Indian Hockey Federation later this year though the International Hockey Federation has refused to recognise it.

In a bid to promote hockey in the country, the Prime Minister recently announced a special grant of 12 million rupees for Pakistan Hockey Federation which would also be given on Thursday by Jakhrani.

"It is a good sign that the cash awards are being given because this would only serve as incentive to the players to do better in other international events," Pakistan hockey captain Zeeshan Ashraf said.