Ashraf bids adieu as PCB chief

KARACHI: Nasim Ashraf on Friday took his final bow as Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board in a farewell at the PCB headquarters at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore.
    
Ashraf met all the PCB employees and in a brief statement thanked the media and cricket fans for their support in the last two years.
    
Ashraf said he along with his colleagues worked towards the betterment of the game.
    
"I know some of our results have not been very good and I admit some mistakes might have been made by us but all the time our main interest was the betterment of Pakistan (cricket) and we had no other motive in mind," Ashraf said.
    
Ashraf sent his resignation to the President's secretariat hours after Pervez Musharraf stepped down as President of the country.
    
Ashraf, who was appointed PCB chief by Musharraf, made it clear that he would not reverse his decision to resign.
    
"I have enjoyed every moment of leading my team but my decision is final," he said.
    
Interestingly, former Test player Ejaz Butt, who is being tipped to take over as PCB chairman, was also present at the farewell despite his publicised differences with Ashraf and the PCB over some key issues.
    
Butt, sources say, is a leading candidate as he is very close to Defence Minister Chaudhary Mukhtar who is a powerful figure in the government. But because of his age -- 70 -- Butt is seen as someone who would not be an ideal long run choice.