Pakistan face opposition on Salim Malik's appointment by AFP

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Player:

Saleem Malik

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DateLine: 5th November 2008

 

Cricket chiefs said Wednesday that they want answers from Pakistan over their appointment of former captain Salim Malik as national youth coach, as one of his former teammates resigned in disgust.

 

Malik was banned from the sport for life in 2000 over claims that he asked Australian players to underperform during their tour of Pakistan in 1994. He appealed and last month overturned the ban, freeing him to accept the job.

 

An International Cricket Council (ICC) spokesman told AFP from the governing body's base in Dubai that "we will write a 'please explain' letter" to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) about the appointment.

 

Malik, 45, confirmed his appointment to AFP on Monday but so far the PCB has made no formal announcement, despite scheduling a statement for Wednesday.

 

Meanwhile, Malik's former teammate Rashid Latif resigned in protest as the national youth academy's wicketkeeping coach.

 

"I oppose Malik's appointment. It is shocking for me to know that Malik has been appointed as the head coach of the national academy," Latif wrote in his resignation letter to the PCB, a copy of which was seen by AFP.

 

Latif blew the whistle on match-fixing, giving evidence against Malik and several other team-mates before a judicial commission investigating the allegations in the late 1990s.

 

The commission banned Malik and fined former skippers Wasim Akram, Inzamam-ul Haq, Saeed Anwar, Waqar Younis, Mushtaq Ahmed and Akram Raza.

 

Paceman Ataur Rehman was also banned for life on charges of perjury, although that ban was later lifted.

 

Malik's name was linked to an Indian match-fixing inquiry that led to a life ban -- later overturned -- for former Pakistan captain Mohammad Azharuddin in 2000.

 

The late South Africa captain Hansie Cronje, also banned for life for involvement in match-fixing, named Malik as an offender.

 

Malik played 103 Tests and 263 one-day internationals for Pakistan between 1981 and 1999. He led his country in 12 Tests and 34 one-day internationals.

(Article: Copyright © 2008 AFP)