Hang-around Ashraf making players nervous

PCB chief was there at official photo-shoot, at selection meetings, and even in the dressing room

Pakistani players have started grumbling about their cricket board chairman Nasim Ashraf8217;s constant efforts to be around them most of the time in the West Indies.

According to team sources, the players were not amused when Ashraf insisted on sitting with the team in the official team photograph session held during the opening ceremony on Sunday.

The sources said Ashraf took the centre chair in the session and sat between captain Inzamam-ul Haq and vice-captain Younis Khan, something not supposed to be done during an official ceremony of the World Cup.

In the past, former heads of Boards have got themselves photographed with the team, but not at official ceremonies.

8220;It is not just about the incident at the opening ceremony. The players in general are not happy with the fact that the chairman has also reached the West Indies and is constantly around them giving them advice,8221; the sources said.

They said the players were uncomfortable with Ashraf8217;s closeness to the team, especially since on the recent tour of South Africa also he was constantly with them and even sat in the dressing room during matches. 8220;On some occasions in South Africa, Ashraf also participated in selection discussions about some players,8221; a source said.

The dressing room of the team is considered to be an area only restricted for the players and team officials, but in recent times one has noticed a trend among Board officials in Pakistan to drop into dressing rooms during matches and sit with the players, something that one does not notice happening in the other Test playing nations.

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Ashraf, who has been given the rank of a state minister in the present government and runs the Human Resources and Development Ministry in Islamabad, is a direct nomination for the post of the Chief Patron of the Board, at the moment occupied by President Pervez Musharraf.

When the West Indies toured Pakistan, Ashraf surprised everyone by walking onto the pitch before the start of a Test match on the opening day and inspecting it with the captain and coach, something unheard off anywhere in the cricket world.

Ashraf prides himself on being a good cricketer and also having vast knowledge of the game having played some first class cricket.