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Pakistan crumbled to 83 all out in 17.3 overs – their lowest ever score batting first in T20Is – before Virat Kohli’s 49 led India to an eventually comfortable five-wicket win in Mirpur

The Report by Alagappan Muthu in Mirpur27-Feb-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details5:56

Bazid Khan: Pakistan’s batting a deep-rooted problem

There is a bar for international batsmen and with Pakistan it is never quite certain which way they will push it. There is never a shortage of spectacle when they play and that box was at least ticked in Mirpur. Pakistan crumbled to 83 all out in 17.3 overs – their lowest ever score in T20Is after batting first. There is a bar for international bowlers too and Pakistan have been vaulting over it for years. Mohammad Amir, playing his sixth international limited-overs match in nearly as many years, turned up like he hadn’t missed a beat. He took out Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane for ducks in the first over of the chase, and a low-scoring game that had threatened to be one-sided was given the thrill India-Pakistan cricket is known for. But Virat Kohli’s class and technique prevailed in the end and India held on for a five-wicket win.Rohit, who had stood a class apart on a similarly challenging pitch on Wednesday, was beaten for pace and prodigious inswing before he even had his bearings set. The first ball, a yorker, may well have burned a hole through his boot and crashed into off stump. Amir could not have sounded his warning any clearer or louder but his leg-before appeal was turned down.So he pulled his length back but kept the inswing going. Rohit was rapped on the pads again and this time there was no doubt. Rahane, coming as a late replacement as Shikhar Dhawan rested a niggle, saw a wide down leg before he too could not handle the ball bending back into him at over 140 kph and was trapped in front. Suresh Raina popped a catch to mid-on in Amir’s next over and India were 8 for 3.Kohli persevered amid the carnage, deflecting the memory of an inswinger that nearly had him lbw and an edge that flew over the slip cordon. Both were off Amir’s bowling, but his full quota was all done by the seventh over. After that sensational spell of 4-0-18-3, India gained the breathing room they needed and Kohli’s 49 off 51 balls secured a fifth T20I win in six matches in the lead up to the World T20.As taxing as India’s batsmen had it, it was hard not to think about their bowlers. MS Dhoni had won the toss and handed them first use of a green-tinged pitch. Ashish Nehra began in vintage fashion, moving the ball across the right-hander and getting it to bounce more than expected. A surprised Mohammad Hafeez nicked the fourth ball of the match through to the wicketkeeper.At the other end, Jasprit Bumrah’s natural bustle into the crease had the same effect but he was bringing the ball into the right-handers. Khurram Manzoor’s pads weathered a lot of impact as he came in at No. 3 and played out a maiden over on his T20I debut. Sharjeel Khan was undone by Bumrah’s offcutter in the fourth over and India’s discipline was bearing the sweetest fruit.India’s pacers did most of the damage early on to set up the win•Associated Press

Then it created a spectacular chaos. Shoaib Malik poked a shortish delivery into the covers and took a few steps down, looking for a single. A non-existent one because Kohli had swooped down on the ball with great agility. It made Malik rethink his decision and then change it but it was too late. Manzoor was barely in the frame when the direct hit found the non-striker’s end. To complete the ineptness of that little passage of play from Pakistan, Manzoor had lost his bat in the frantic hurry to turn around and save himself. Seven balls later, Malik chased one outside off from Hardik Pandya and nicked it behind. It was the first of three wickets for a man known more as a batting allrounder.Yuvraj Singh surprisingly came in to bowl the first over of spin, ahead of R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. His first ball was angled in at Umar Akmal, who played for turn and was trapped lbw and Pakistan were 35 for 5 in the eighth over.As if to cap a spell of self-destructive batting, there was another silly run-out. Shahid Afridi, whose experience spans nearly 20 years in international cricket, went for an ambitious second run to deep square leg taking on India’s quickest man across the turf and the strongest arm, of Ravindra Jadeja. The pick up was one-handed and the throw was barely a parabola. Like a sniper’s shot, it travelled along a near straight line and ended up a few centimeters away from the stumps and Dhoni made up the distance. Pakistan finished the eighth over at 42 for 6, the lower order just about doubled that. But it just wasn’t enough.

The PCB has expressed concern over allegations of fixing raised in the media with regard to the recently concluded West Indies-Pakistan ODI series

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jul-2013The PCB has expressed concern over allegations of fixing raised in the media with regard to the recently concluded West Indies-Pakistan ODI series. A Pakistan board official told ESPNcricinfo on Sunday that the PCB is in touch with the ICC about the matter as it falls under the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit’s purview.The , which raised the allegations, reported that the series was set to be investigated over claims of wrongdoing. Pakistan had won the five-match series in the Caribbean, which concluded on July 24, by a 3-1 margin. The third game of the series was a tie.”The PCB is obviously extremely concerned at the recent allegations of fixing reported in the media with regard to recently concluded ODI series between Pakistan and West Indies,” the official said. “The PCB maintains zero tolerance towards corruption in the game but investigations in this matter falls within the purview of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit. The PCB is in contact with the ICC on this issue and understands that the ICC will be issuing a media release soon.”The PCB, at the moment, is examining all legal aspects but for the time being will not be making any further comments”.The Twenty20-leg of the tour is currently underway. Pakistan won the first of two T20s on Saturday, and the second and final game will be played later on Sunday in St Vincent.

Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford said that the home team will need to “work hard” on the fifth day, as the Test is evenly poised at the end of the fourth

Sa'adi Thawfeeq in Pallekele11-Jul-2012Graham Ford, the Sri Lanka coach, has said that the Pallekele Test is evenly poised and the home team will need to “work hard” on the fifth day. Pakistan finished the day 188 runs ahead with two wickets remaining.”It’s fairly even,” Ford said. “We are slightly ahead on points at this stage but there is a lot of cricket to be played tomorrow.”First, we have to get them out and that’s going to be our No. 1 priority. Our players have a lot of respect for the game and for the quality of the opposition, so they know that they have to work hard tomorrow; nobody is starting to think that the series win is guaranteed. Test cricket is about the hard work and the real challenge, and hopefully our boys will enjoy that challenge tomorrow.”Sri Lanka, who won the first Test in Galle and drew the second at the SSC, are looking for their first Test series win in nine attempts. In Pallekele, where the weather was expected to be a factor, the second day was lost due to rain. However, the pitch, which allowed plenty of seam movement and made batting difficult, has made sure that all results remain possible on the fifth day.”It’s swayed back and forth quite a bit, which is what everybody wants to see. So, from that point of view, it’s been good. The first morning, it [the pitch] certainly had quite a lot in it for the seamers. Even yesterday morning there was a lot in it for the seamers; fortunately we had two batsmen who got in and dug in deep and did a fantastic job neutralising what was going on out there.”In the first innings, batsmen from both teams struggled against the moving ball. However, the Pakistan batsmen scored comfortably in patches on the fourth day and Ford expected that the pitch, which has eased out, should help Sri Lanka’s chances.”Pakistan has got three quality seamers who caused some problems for us in the first innings. The surface, as it is now, makes it easier to face them. Certainly Pakistan found batting a lot easier a second time round, hopefully it will be easier for us second time round as well.”Pakistan started the day at 27 for 1, 84 runs behind Sri Lanka, and Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali scored freely to reduce the deficit. Sri Lanka were fortunate to get Hafeez’s wicket just before lunch, but Ali had looked solid. In the second session, there was a century partnership between Ali and Asad Shafiq that threatened to take the game away from the hosts.”We would have loved to have got into them this morning and get more wickets down by lunch. At tea-time we were quite concerned but you have to give credit to the way they played. They played extremely well and our seamers found it a bit tougher on that surface in the second innings.”In the final session, Sri Lanka managed to claw back after taking four wickets for 24 runs. Ford said that the wickets fell in part due to the lower-order batsmen being on strike.”The lower order [has] less skilful players and the likelihood of them establishing a partnership is less likely. I don’t think it was the conditions, [though] maybe the cloud may have come on a bit in the evening, which might have helped in the swing and movement off the wicket, and also the new ball being available at the time.”

Makhaya Ntini has been named Cricket South Africa’s first cricket development ambassador

ESPNcricinfo staff23-May-2011Makhaya Ntini has been named Cricket South Africa’s first cricket development ambassador. Ntini, who played 101 Tests and took 390 wickets and was the first black, African player to represent South Africa, retired from international cricket in November 2010 but had vowed to remain involved in developing the game in rural areas.The announcement was made at the unveiling of GB Molefe hostel at the University of Fort Hare in the Eastern Cape, where CSA runs an academy. Mfuneko Ngam, another former South African fast bowler, heads the project, which gives promising players from previously disadvantaged backgrounds an opportunity to study as well as play cricket through a bursary scheme.Ntini will be involved in the academy as well as other ventures that will assist the unearthing of talent in the area. His responsibilities will include identifying areas where developmental structures must be put in place and being a talent scout in the Eastern Cape. Ntini hails from the province, which is widely considered rich in cricketing talent, but suffers from severe poverty and lack of facilities in parts.”Makhaya is a true ambassador of the sport, he has done more for the game of cricket than anybody in promoting the game,” CSA chief executive Gerald Majola said. “We at CSA decided that, when Makhaya Ntini retires, he can not be gone completely from the world of cricket because many players still need to learn from his experience.”

Makhaya Ntini feels he is uncertain of his standing in South Africa’s plans, having not heard from the selectors since he was dropped from the national side for the last two Tests of the England series over the winter

Cricinfo staff01-Jun-2010Makhaya Ntini feels he is uncertain of his standing in South Africa’s plans, having not heard from the selectors since he was dropped from the national side for the last two Tests of the England series in January.After being dropped he bounced back immediately, helping the Warriors win the MTN40 and the Standard Bank Pro20 and recently starring for Kent in the first division of the County Championship with 24 wickets in five games at 19.75.Ntini was hoping that a good outing in county cricket could prod the South Africa selectors into rethinking their decision but he told the Kent website that he is unclear of his position.”My main reason for coming was to show that I am still capable of doing a good job and was not going downhill,” he said.”I’m slightly disappointed because I’ve never been told by Cricket South Africa that they don’t need me – yet they didn’t come to watch me with Kent. I would like them to tell me what I should be working on and to help me get back in.”Ntini, 32, is a giant of South African cricket, having taken 390 Test wickets in 101 games, but there was a feeling that his best days were behind him after he was unable to finish the England tail off in the drawn first Test at Centurion in December and he performed badly the game after, which South Africa lost by an innings and 98 runs. Over the last two years Ntini has played 14 Tests and taken just 46 wickets at 36.02, which compares unfavourably with his overall average of 28.82.Yet Ntini insists the decision was harsh, saying “it is unfair to drop someone for failing in one Test match.” It was thought, at the time he was left out, that he would retire and join Middlesex but he instead vowed to earn back a place in the national side. He did not feature, however, in South Africa’s following series, against India, and was not included in their squad to tour West Indies.Instead South Africa opted for three inexperienced pacemen –
Ryan McLaren, Wayne Parnell and Lonwabo Tsotsobe – to back up the two new-ball bowlers Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel in the Test squad.

Former New Zealand captain signs contract extension which will run until end of 2027

Andrew Miller03-Sep-2024Brendon McCullum has been announced as England’s new men’s white-ball head coach, and will combine that role with his existing Test duties. McCullum has agreed a remarkable new three-year deal as part of what the ECB has termed a “strategic restructure” within the men’s set-up.The contract extension, announced on Tuesday, means that McCullum is set to oversee England’s white-ball fortunes, up to and including the next 50-over World Cup in South Africa in October-November 2027, while also guiding the Test squad all the way through to England’s next home Ashes campaign, earlier that same year.Marcus Trescothick, England’s interim head coach for the upcoming series against Australia, will continue in that role for the white-ball tour of the Caribbean in November, with McCullum officially beginning his twin tenure in January 2025, in time for their white-ball tour of India, and the ICC Champions Trophy which is set to take place in Pakistan in February and March.The deal comes in the wake of Matthew Mott’s sacking as white-ball head coach in July, following England’s disappointing defences of both their 50- and 20-over World Cup titles. It is a significant coup for the ECB, and their director of men’s cricket, Rob Key, given the apparent reluctance of a host of major names to put their names forward for the role.Related

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Ricky Ponting and Eoin Morgan, England’s 2019 World Cup-winning captain, were among the prime candidates to officially rule themselves out of contention, while Andy Flower’s status as one of the most sought-after franchise coaches in the world game meant there was little prospect of him returning to the ECB, a decade after his last stint as England head coach ended in 2014.McCullum himself had shown little interest in the white-ball role when he took over as England’s Test coach in May 2022. However, amid the subsequent success of his Test tenure, in particular the so-called ‘Bazball’ mentality that helped to liberate the team’s attitude to success and failure, he has now agreed to carry that ethos across to a white-ball set-up, captained by Jos Buttler, that is set to undergo a generational shift over the course of the coming international cycle.”I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Test team, and I’m excited to extend my role to include the white-ball sides,” McCullum said. “This new challenge is something I’m ready to embrace, and I’m eager to work closely with Jos and the team to build on the strong foundations that are already in place.”In so doing, McCullum will become the first England men’s coach since his Test predecessor, Chris Silverwood, to oversee both the red- and white-ball squads. And while the sheer volume of matches in England’s recent schedule has meant that a united role has been nigh on impossible – their T20I series against Australia, for instance, begins one day after the end of the forthcoming third Test against Sri Lanka – Key pointed to a relative “easing” in the fixture list from 2025 onwards that has made McCullum’s appointment more feasible.”I’m delighted that Brendon has chosen to do both roles now with England,” Key said. “I believe we are incredibly fortunate that a coach of his quality is prepared to commit wholeheartedly to English cricket. Being able to align all teams now is particularly exciting and we look forward to taking on all challenges that come our way.”For the last two years, constant clashes between formats have made it challenging for the white-ball environment; fortunately, these are easing starting from January. The timing of the schedule [from January] will allow him to dedicate the necessary focus to both roles, and we’re confident this restructure will bring out the best in our players and coaching staff.”McCullum added: “Rob Key’s vision for the future of English cricket is something that really resonated with me. The idea of a unified coaching structure, especially with the schedule easing next year, made perfect sense. I’m energised by the prospect of guiding both teams and am grateful for the support from the ECB and my family as I take on these added responsibilities.”Rob Key believes an eased schedule from 2025 will help McCullum•Getty Images

The prospect of a unified vision for England’s squads may be particularly beneficial to Test incumbents such as Harry Brook and Gus Atkinson, young players who have significant futures across both set-ups, but whose opportunities to transfer their talents across formats will be restricted this winter by the cramped nature of the schedule, with England’s white-ball tour of the Caribbean falling directly between their three-Test tours of Pakistan and New Zealand.Similarly, younger players – such as Jacob Bethell, Dan Mousley and Josh Hull, who are likely to make their international debuts in the coming white-ball series against Australia and will be prime candidates for the West Indies tour – ought to be better placed to make their cases for Test honours with McCullum now overseeing their full international development.”The talent within English cricket is immense, and I’m looking forward to helping these players reach their full potential,” McCullum added. “My goal is to create an environment where everyone can thrive and where we can continue to compete at the highest level across all formats.”McCullum is due to leave England immediately after the conclusion of the Sri Lanka series at The Kia Oval this week, and will return to New Zealand for a short break before rejoining the Test squad ahead of the Pakistan tour in October.

“If you look at the last few seasons, their performance hasn’t been as good,” says the former allrounder

ESPNcricinfo staff14-May-2023Yusuf Pathan, the former India and Kolkata Knight Riders allrounder, feels that with Sunil Narine and Andre Russell not at their best consistently, perhaps it’s time the KKR management starts looking beyond them.”We should see how Narine and Russell have performed in the last three years, or how many match-winning performances they have put in with bat or ball,” Pathan said on ESPNcricinfo’s show .”As a team, what do you think? If you want to look ahead to the future and go to the next level, then you should surely think about it, because if you look at the last few seasons, their performance hasn’t been as good. As a senior player, there are expectations from you that you would get wickets or runs. If you are not able to do it, then you will have to face the questions.”Related

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So far in IPL 2023, Narine has managed only seven wickets in 12 games, his economy of 8.50 being the worst for him in an IPL season. His returns with bat have also diminished. Once an attacking opener, he no longer bats at the top of the innings, and has 153 runs at an average of 6.95 in the last three IPL seasons.Russell, meanwhile, has a strike of over 150 in each of the last three IPLs. However, in terms of the volume of runs, he has perhaps failed to live up to the expectations at times. He scored 183 runs in nine innings in 2021; 335 in 12 in 2022; and 218 in 12 so far this year.However, with ball, just like Narine, his economy of 11.29 this season is the worst for him in the tournament’s history. Moreover, there are always concerns about his bowling fitness.When asked if their age was catching up – Russell turned 35 last month, and Narine will reach there in a couple of weeks’ time – Pathan held it wasn’t the case.”I don’t think age should be a factor, because there are others of similar age who are still playing, and are performing well too,” he said. “Plus, both of them play around the year. I feel if you are playing the entire year, then your body is in good shape.”I am not able to figure out what is going wrong. These two are your match-winners, and when your match-winners don’t perform, your team struggles. Perhaps fatigue could be a reason as they play the entire year. Having said that, everyone wants and expects them to do well.”

England batter wary of power-packed West Indies, whom they face after opening defeat to Australia

Andrew Miller08-Mar-2022Danni Wyatt believes the only way is up for England’s women after coming through a stiff opening test with pride against the World Cup favourites Australia. However, she accepts they can take nothing for granted against a West Indies team who opened their own campaign with a thrilling first-day win over hosts New Zealand.”We’re all really confident,” Wyatt said. “We played some fantastic cricket the other night against the Aussies. Obviously we’re gutted not to get the win, but there’s so many positives that we can take away from that game. Especially with our batting. If we can put two and two together with the bowling and the batting, it will stand us in great stead for the rest of the tournament.”Tuesday’s contest in Dunedin could prove to be pivotal for both teams in a tight group stage, from which only four of the eight teams can progress to the semi-finals.Related

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Another West Indies win would put Stafanie Taylor’s team firmly on course for the last four, while leaving England playing catch-up with back-to-back losses. However, Wyatt has faith in her team-mates, not least Nat Sciver, their centurion against Australia, whom she believes is the best allrounder in the world.In reaching 298 for 8 in reply to Australia’s stiff target of 311, England laid some of the ghosts of their Ashes campaign, in which they had failed to pass 200 in any of the three ODIs. And Sciver was front and centre of their efforts all night long, claiming two of Australia’s three wickets to fall before leading the chase with 109* from 85 balls.”She’s still as cool as a cucumber,” Wyatt said. “Very calm is our Natty, nothing seems to faze her. She’s ready to go again for training this afternoon and then for the game tomorrow. I’ve always said she’s the best allrounder in the world. Her and Katherine [Brunt] together, we’re so lucky to have them both on our team.””In training and matches, Nat’s always so calm and cool, which spreads around the team. The other night she bowled ten overs, was very busy at midwicket and extra cover, and then went out and hit 100 off 80 balls, so hopefully she can keep up her good run of form. She’s just amazing.”More of the same may be necessary to keep West Indies at bay, given the power-packed nature of their line-up. In their three-run win over New Zealand, Hayley Matthews was the star turn with 119 from 128 balls, featuring 16 fours and a six. Bbut it was Deandra Dottin’s stunning final over that sealed the contest, as she delivered the final three wickets for two runs in her first bowl since September.”They’ve got some great hitters in their team, a great bowling attack as well,” Wyatt said. “Dottin’s been around since I’ve been around. I’m getting old now, but she’s a game changer. Matthews can take the game away from you as well. But we’ll just go out there like we did the other day – nice and calm. Everyone knows their role, hopefully we’ll have fun and get those two points.”With the Hundred and the Big Bash, a lot of us have played with and against the likes of Dottin, Hayley Matthews, Stafanie Taylor,” she added. “So we know what we’re going to come up against. We’re definitely ready for the challenge, hopefully the cricket Gods are on our side tomorrow.”Despite the defeat to Australia, England’s mood in their opening fixture was notably upbeat compared to the gloom that accompanied their Ashes setbacks. Much of that has been attributed to a week of post-quarantine R and R in Queenstown, and Wyatt believes that vibe has followed them back down to the South Island, and their new base in Dunedin.”There’s a good feel around the group at the minute,” she said. “It’s a World Cup. We played some great cricket against Australia. And we’re all really happy with the way we played. So there’s not many sad faces around. The sun’s finally come out here in Dunedin, so we’ll go for breakfast, enjoy the sights, then get really focused for tomorrow’s match.”This is my fourth time in New Zealand, which is incredible,” she added. “For a few of us, this could be our last World Cup so we’ve got to go out there and enjoy every minute, and embrace the challenges. In many ways, it was nice to play the Aussies first up. Now we can focus on all of the other teams and hopefully get on a roll, because there’s so many positives from that match the other night against the Aussies.”Everyone looked so comfortable, and it was small margins. You look back and think, if only I stopped that four then – or whatever – it would have been a different game. But it’s a World Cup. You’re going to be playing different teams every match. And it’s about being ready for that team, preparing well, and taking it game by game.”

Chief executive has year to run on contract but may put family first after pressures in role

George Dobell and Umar Farooq30-Oct-2020Wasim Khan, the PCB chief executive, has admitted he is undecided about his future in the position beyond his initial term.While there is more than a year to run on Wasim’s original three-year contract – it is due to expire in February 2022 – and talks have begun on a new deal, he has asked for time before committing.PCB chairman Ehsan Mani is understood to have suggested another three-year deal, but Wasim has said he is considering all term options. He will provide an answer in February 2021.Taking on the role at a turbulent time, Wasim has enjoyed some success in improving Pakistan’s status as a venue that is safe and welcoming for touring teams.On his watch, this year’s PSL has been played at home in its entirety for the first time, while Test cricket has also returned to the country. His personal relationship with key figures at other boards is understood to have been instrumental in this progress, with South Africa due to tour in January 2021 and Australia and England due to follow in 2022.Hopes also remain high of a short T20 tour by England to Karachi in January 2021, with a couple of first-class counties – Warwickshire and Leicestershire – exploring the possibility of pre-season tours to the country in the coming years. Zimbabwe are currently in Pakistan playing six limited-overs games.ALSO READ: Azhar Ali set to lose Pakistan Test captaincyBut there has also been controversy. There have, for example, been radical changes to the domestic structure – changes foisted upon the administration by the Prime Minister and board patron, Imran Khan – which has reduced the number of teams and resulted in the unemployment of a considerable number of players and coaches.The cull has proven unpopular with players who have, in many cases, seen reductions in their earnings. Recently, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali met with the Prime Minister to ask for a change, a request that was summarily dismissed.That, as well as a few other board decisions – coupled with a transitionary period in terms of results off the field – has led to some very vocal criticism, focused on Wasim. Plenty of it has revolved around him being an “outsider” with no knowledge of Pakistan culture, as well as his salary.Wasim was born in the UK – he became the first UK-born Muslim of Pakistan origin to play county cricket – to a father who had been born in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.While Wasim describes himself as “relaxed” about such criticism from a personal perspective, he is sensitive to the impact it has had on his family. In particular, he was concerned by the derogatory comments about him that his children have had to hear, partly as a result of which his family have moved back to the their home in Birmingham.”It’s been an eye-opening experience,” Wasim told ESPNcricinfo. “The encouraging thing is that the overwhelming majority of people have been very supportive and understand what we are trying to achieve and that there had to be change.”But there has been a vocal minority that have made life more difficult than it needed to be. Clearly, I have to make a decision that is right for Pakistan cricket but also my family. But it does feel as if we’ve made great progress and I would like to see the job through.”With a year remaining on my contract, the chairman has spoken with me and begun a discussion offering me an extension up to three years. I haven’t decided yet about anything. This is a big decision, I don’t have a straight answer to this. I have to think through and have to speak to my family about it.”I am thoroughly enjoying my job and have achieved a lot,” he added. “There is a five-year strategic plan and Mani saab wants me to execute it. There is a lot of work we have started that needs to be executed. We are about to start working on our 2023 FTP cycle and that will be a major task going forward. We are also going to bid for ICC events so there is an exciting time ahead and I want to consider an extension, but I am not sure about how many years.”The situation is complicated by uncertainty over the future of Mani. The PCB chairman’s tenure is due to end in September 2021 and though he could be appointed for another term, it isn’t certain that he wants to, although he has not confirmed this.There’s been talk of Wasim Akram, who remains close to Imran Khan, as one potential option – Akram is a member of the board’s cricket committee but is also generally busy with a number of broadcast and commercial commitments. With chief executive and chairman required to work together closely, the identify of Mani’s replacement – if one is required – may colour Wasim Khan’s decision.