Pakistan appoint panel to probe World Cup failure

LAHORE, Mar 31 (Reuters) The Pakistan Cricket Board has suspended the central contracts of its players and appointed a three-member committee to evaluate the team's poor performance at the World Cup in the Caribbean.

PCB chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf told a packed news conference on Saturday that the panel, comprising former test players Ejaz Butt, Salahuddin Ahmed and Saleem Altaf, would submit its findings in a month.

''This committee will look into all dimensions of the team's performance and find reasons for the poor results,'' Ashraf told reporters.

Pakistan were eliminated from the World Cup in the group phase after losing to hosts West Indies in the opening match of the tournament and outsiders Ireland on March 17.

One day later, team coach Bob Woolmer was found unconscious in his hotel room and subsequently died in hospital.

Jamaican police suspect he was murdered and are also investigating allegations that an illegal betting syndicate may have been involved in the 58-year-old Briton's death.

Ashraf added that if anyone had information, even without evidence, of match-fixing at the World Cup, he or she should contact the International Cricket Council.

''The ICC is the legitimate authority and has a vice squad to deal with corruption in cricket. If anyone has any information, I would advise him to contract the anti-corruption unit instead of making statements in the press,'' he said.

CONTRACTS SUSPENDED Ashraf said the central contracts given to 20 players last year would be suspended until the board decided on a new performance-related system it planned to implement in around three months from now.

Announcing a major shake-up of the board's management, Ashraf said that people were grossly exaggerating a bleak future for the team.

''There is no need to over-react or panic and we are putting in place a new management plan to improve the performance of the board and team in the coming years,'' he said.

Ashraf went on to add that the board would wait two months before announcing a new captain and coach for the side as Pakistan did not have any immediate international commitments.

''We don't want to rush into things and regret it later,'' he said.

''However, we will probably appoint a local coach to replace Woolmer, who did a great deal for Pakistani cricket.'' In the board shake-up, former test player Zakir Khan has been appointed director of cricket operations in place of Altaf, who has been promoted to director of special projects.

Altaf will also lead the technical committee for next year's Champions Trophy and the 2012 World Cup, both hosted or co-hosted by Pakistan.

Former bureaucrat Shafqat Nagmi has been installed as the PCB's chief operating officer.

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