Moin likely to replace Akram

ISLAMABAD, JULY 30: Pakistani wicket-keeper Moin Khan has been tipped to succeed Wasim Akram who was the skipper of the team that lost to...

ISLAMABAD, JULY 30: Pakistani wicket-keeper Moin Khan has been tipped to succeed Wasim Akram who was the skipper of the team that lost to Australia in the World Cup final.

Akram, Salim Malik and Ijaz Ahmed, have been named in connection with alleged match-fixing in 1994-95 and have been placed under temporary suspension by the Pakistan Cricket Board8217;s PCB ad hoc committee, whose chairman Mujeebur Rehman has said they would not be considered for selection to the national team until their names were cleared of these charges.

Moin Khan, who was deputy to Akram in the World Cup, has apparently received the nod of the PCB interim chief, Mujeebur Rehman after he and his teammates apprised Rehman of what happened during the tournament and also gave their opinion about the skipper.

The gutsy stumper alongwith Inzamam-ul Haq, Waqar Younis and Mushtaq Ahmed were reportedly given a clean chit by Rehman, who had asked them to mentally prepare themselves for the coming season. The PCB chief is yet to meet off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, who is busy playing in the English county.

The 28-year-old Moin Khan, known for his vocal support to his teammates and hard-hitting batting apart from his prowess with the gloves, has had two stints as captain.

He led his country in the 1995 Asia Cup in Sharjah and then in one Test against Zimbabwe last year when Aamir Sohail suddenly walked out of the team following differences with other senior players.

Media reports here said former Pakistan left-hander Wasim Raja had been approached to take over as cricket manager while PCB is looking for a good coach from Australia apart from retaining South African Richard Pybus as trainer.

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PCB sources, however, felt things were in a fluid state and were expected to settle down only in a week or 10 days.

Meanwhile, Akram was closely questioned by investigators inquiring into match-fixing and betting charges even as he denied all charges against him besides declaring his assets and properties in a written statement.

Akram was questioned for more than three hours by officials of the anti-corruption Ehtesab accountability Bureau here during which he repeatedly denied match-fixing charges and submitted an eight-page statement to this effect where he also gave details of his assets in Pakistan and abroad, according to sources close to Akram.