Date-stamped : 15 Apr97 - 02:18
13 Apr 1997

Ijaz pulls out from Lanka tour? 

By Our Sports Reporter


KARACHI, April 13: Middle-order batsman Ijaz Ahmad has pulled
out of the Sri Lankan tour, well informed sources said. Sources,
requesting anonymity, said Ijaz had conveyed his decision on
return flight from Sharjah on Saturday.

Ijaz has cited domestic problems but sources say the batsman was
perhaps not happy with the attitude of Chief Executive, Majid
Khan. Majid Khan had a verbal argument with manager Mushtaq
Mohammad on the in-charge of the team in the absence of Wasim
Akram in Sharjah, sources said.

Ramiz Raja was appointed vice-captain in place of Saeed Anwar
but Ijaz Ahmad controlled the proceedings when Wasim Akram left
the field during the matches. "Majid Khan took exception to the
arrangement of Ijaz Ahmad being leader in the absence of Wasim
Akram in the players dressing room," sources added. Ijaz felt
hurt about it, sources said, adding: "Ijaz was also the
vice-captain of the Pakistan team in Australia."

However, Secretary, PCB, Waqar Ahmad, said Ijaz Ahmad was likely
to fly to Sri Lanka on Tuesday. "My Secretariat is trying to
contact Ijaz Ahmad but he is not at his place," he said.

Waqar said according to the briefing given to him by his aides
in the PCB Secretariat, Ijaz wanted to spend sometime with his
family. "You must consider that the boys are continuously
travelling." Waqar emphasised that the team was well knit and
there was no problem. "They are going pretty good."

Source::  Dawn (http://xiber.com/dawn/)

Contributed by Masud (masud@cricinfo.com)