Talat Ali resigns as Pakistan team manager

KARACHI: Pakistan cricket team manager Talat Ali on Friday stepped down from his post amid rumours that he was asked to resign by new PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt for allowing former Board chief Nasim Ashraf into the dressing room during the twenty20 tournament in Toronto.
    
"Yes I have sent in my resignation to the board Chairman. Since he has just taken charge I felt it is best he should decide on bringing in his own team," Talat said.
    
Talat insisted there was no other reason behind his sudden resignation although he still had eight months left in his two-year contract with the PCB.
    
Talat has remained manager of the Pakistan team since 2006 and was last year given a two-year contract by former Chairman Ashraf.
    
Sources say it was the VIP treatment accorded to Ashraf who visited Toronto for the twenty20 tournament from New York which led to Talat's resignation.
    
"Ejaz Butt the new Chairman was not pleased to learn that Talat had allowed Ashraf into the Pakistani dressing room and mingle with the players in Toronto. As he feels Ashraf had no business being in the dressing room," one source said. "Talat basically was conveyed to send in his resignation."
    
Talat said he had enjoyed his time with the team and if the new Chairman asked him to continue he would do so.
    
"But morally I think the right thing to do was to give my resignation as the new Chairman might want to bring in his own management team," the former Test player said.