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Ricky Ponting reflects on his 17-year career after playing his final Test, against South Africa in Perth

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Dec-2012.Ricky Ponting: “Even out of today, just being at the crease for 20-odd balls, it’s a pretty special time, and anyone who’s retired has felt that as well.”•AFP

The finality sinking in: That it’s [career] over has sunk in. It’s been a pretty long, tough week I guess, I know I’ve been more nervous this game than any other game that I’ve played. Just for the reason how much it means for me to play for Australia and wanting to finish the right way. So it has been a hard week and we haven’t got the result we were after and I haven’t got the result I was after. Looking back it’s been a special week as well, having my whole family here’s been great, unbelievable support from them, and great support from the fans and from my team-mates, so it’s been a special week.Why it was time to finish: Excluding Brisbane and the start of Adelaide, when I got a pretty good ball, I just think I’ve put a lot of pressure on myself to perform knowing that I had to, or feeling within myself that I had to. Also knowing where the series was at, it’s always been about big games and big series for me, and getting off the start I did with those two innings just had me under pressure again, and I haven’t been able to deal with it as well of late as I’d have liked to. Normally for me when those big moments come around, I’ve been able to find something within and go out and score runs and make it all go away, but I haven’t been able to do that for a while now, and that was when the alarm bells started to ring.The guard of honour and the final ovation: I got my big ovation today, but Graeme’s gesture and the South African team’s gesture, that sort of stuff will remain with me forever, and I told him that on the field today. So that was special. I was pretty pumped up for the moment, I just felt there was one last big push from me, and the game and the day was set up for it, and it didn’t last long enough. Even out of today, just being at the crease for 20-odd balls, it’s a pretty special time, and anyone who’s retired has felt that as well. It just would’ve been nice to have a few next to my name coming off.On the supreme batsmen of his era: I felt Sachin was the best player I played against, and that’s coming from more of a captain’s point of view as well, knowing he had so much success against us in our conditions and their conditions. But the other way to look at it is, I probably lost more sleep on the eve of games against Lara, because I knew he could singlehandedly win games for his team. The way I judge players has always been on their ability to win games, and win games by themselves. Lara could certainly do that and he did it probably more than what Sachin’s done for India. It’s hard to separate the class of player – you’ve got to put Kallis in that bracket as well. You put his wickets on top of what he’s done with the bat. He came out the other day to bat and I looked at the board and he was averaging 57 in Test cricket. That’s remarkable considering the amount he’s had to bowl and all that sort of stuff. I’ve been pretty blessed to play in the era I’ve played with so many great batsmen, and if my name gets mentioned among them, then that’s great.On the best bowlers he faced: I think Curtly Ambrose and Wasim Akram were probably the two outstanding quicks that I faced, and for different reasons. Ambrose for his ability to just make you feel like you couldn’t score off him for long periods of time, never felt like he was going to bowl you a bad ball. Akram for the exact opposite, you could get a few runs off him, but you just knew there was an unplayable ball around the corner, be it with an old ball or with a new ball. And thankfully for me I probably got both of those guys towards the end of their careers as well. Those two, and Harbhajan’s probably the other one who caused me as much grief as anything. He got me out a lot of times, and caused me a lot of grief. Those guys through their careers can all put their hand up and say they had my measure.On what he’ll miss: I’ll miss the mateship, I’ll miss the dressing room. That’s the stuff that’s irreplaceable in your life I guess. There’s a lot of guys in there I’m very close to, and a lot of the guys I’ve been closest to over the years are no longer around the dressing room either. I guess that’s the upside, I’ll probably get to spend a bit more time with those guys who I’ve played most of my cricket with, but the get-up attitude and find a way to make yourself better and try to find a way to make your team-mates better is what I’ll miss.

Bangladesh A took a slender first-innings lead after bowling West Indies A out for 129 on a rain-shortened day in St Lucia

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Nov-2011
ScorecardPlayed was delayed until 2:30 p.m. in St Lucia and only 34.3 overs were possible on the second day, but that was enough time for Bangladesh A to bowl West Indies A out for 129, giving them a lead of 26, which their openers then extended to 66 by the close of play.The No. 9, Sunil Narine provided the main resistance, adding 38 with opener Rajindra Chandrika, who was only able to add 10 to his overnight score of 30 before falling lbw to Robiul Islam. Narine then added another 31 with Shannon Gabriel (14) for the tenth wicket to at least ensure West Indies A reached triple figures after the hosts had slumped to 60 for 7 on the first day. Narine was left stranded on 40 when Sohail Gazi bowled Nelon Pascal first ball to wrap up the innings.The Bangladesh A openers began steadily, in stark contrast to the procession of wickets on day one. They successfully negotiated 15 overs without losing a wicket. Jahurul Islam, on 24, and Nasiruddin Faruque, on 14, will look to extend Bangladesh A’s advantage on the third day.

Rusty Theron, the South Africa pace bowler, has been added to the squad for the one-day series against Pakistan in UAE following his recent impressive performances

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Oct-2010Rusty Theron, the South Africa pace bowler, has been added to the squad for the one-day series against Pakistan in UAE following his recent impressive performances.Theron, 25, was originally only part of the squad for the two Twenty20 internationals but the selectors have decided to bolster their fast-bowling options after he claimed a Man-of-the-Match 4 for 27 in the second game in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. It continued the promising start to Theron’s international career after he bagged 11 wickets in his first three one-day internationals against Zimbabwe earlier this month.”His selection is actually a combination of several things,” said selection convener Andrew Hudson. “With the injuries suffered by Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn and Jacques Kallis we feel it is prudent to have adequate cover in the fast bowling department.”Rusty’s form also deserves to be rewarded. He has performed exceptionally well against Zimbabwe and during the two Pro20s against Pakistan and he will bolster the squad ahead of the congested five ODIs against Pakistan.”Kallis and Steyn sat out both the Twenty20 matches against Pakistan. Steyn is unlikely to be fit for the opening one-day international in Abu Dhabi on Sunday but South Africa are hopeful about being able to include Kallis who has been struggling with a back problem. “We are going to have to make some difficult choices when everybody is fit and available and it is a nice problem to have,” Hudson added.

Pakistan’s players have been cleared to participate in the 2010 season of the IPL after receiving clearance from their country’s interior ministry

Cricinfo staff02-Dec-2009Pakistan’s players have been cleared to participate in the 2010 season of the IPL after receiving the final government clearance they needed, from their country’s interior ministry.Earlier on Wednesday, Pakistan’s foreign ministry cleared the players’ involvement in the Indian league and the interior ministry’s clearance means the PCB can now issue the no-objection certificates (NOCS) that would allow them to play in the tournament.”The sports and foreign ministries had already given their clearance … we were awaiting security clearance from the interior ministry, which we have got now,” PCB media manager Nadeem Sarwar told . “We have been told we can issue NOCs to the players now.”The deadline for the submission of the NOCs to the IPL was extended to December 7.Eleven Pakistani players – including Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul, the stars of Pakistan’s 2009 World Twenty20 campaign – were recruited by the Kolkata, Rajasthan, Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore franchises before the inaugural IPL.However, Pakistan’s players were absent from the second IPL, held earlier this year in South Africa, after their government did not allow them to travel to India – where the tournament was originally to be held – for security reasons. The franchises then opted to retain the contracts of only four of them – Kamran Akmal and Sohail Tanvir (Rajasthan), Misbah-ul-Haq (Bangalore) and Gul (Kolkata) .Most franchises will, however, seek their return in the league’s 2010 edition after Pakistan’s success in the ICC World Twenty20 in June.The third season of the IPL will be held in India and it begins on March 12, 2010.

Seamer recruited after a change in the availability of Indian left-armer Jaydev Unadkat

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jan-2025Sussex have announced the additional overseas signing of Gurinder Sandhu for the 2025 season.Sandhu, who has represented Australia in two ODIs, will join the squad for June and July, and will be available for four games in the County Championship as well as the T20 Vitality Blast if required.The 31-year-old has not played first class cricket since March 2024 for Queensland against Western Australia but will plug a gap for the county following a change to the availability of Jaydev Unadkat. The India left-armer had signed a two-year deal with Sussex in October, but will now only be available for the final three red ball fixtures in September.Sandhu has 151 dismissals across 55 first-class matches, and recently turned out for Melbourne Renegades at the end of their Big Bash League campaign. He will join fellow Australians Daniel Hughes and Nathan McAndrew, who will both return to Hove this summer.”We are delighted that Gurinder has decided to join us for the four County Championship matches in June and July,” head coach Paul Farbrace told the club website. “He will add real skill and experience to our bowling attack for those games.”He is a vastly experienced performer and is very skillful with the ball. The fact that all four games are being played with a Kookaburra ball means he will be very comfortable with that type of ball.Sandhu added: “I’m incredibly excited to be joining Sussex Cricket Club and can’t wait to step out onto the field at Hove.”I’m looking forward to contributing to the team in both the red and white ball formats and experiencing the rich cricketing traditions Sussex is known for.”

Steven Smith is likely to return after missing the Afghanistan game, whereas Bangladesh will be without Shakib Al Hasan

Tristan Lavalette10-Nov-2023

Big picture: Australia look to fine-tune against Bangladesh ahead of semi-final

Before Glenn Maxwell unleashed the most surreal batting imaginable, Australia appeared headed for a hefty defeat against Afghanistan and almost getting into must-win territory against Bangladesh. That nervy scenario was alleviated by Maxwell, who powered Australia into a semi-final against South Africa. But Australia won’t be treating this as a dead rubber and will field their strongest available line-up for the clash in Pune.Even though Australia have won six consecutive matches, after such a rocky start, their form has been patchy at times. They’ve been relying on individual brilliance – none more so than Maxwell’s tour de force – rather than a collective.Australia still face selection issues in a bid to find the right balance. They have several players struggling for consistency as Australia look to produce a more complete performance against an opponent out of semi-final contention.But Bangladesh are in a fight to be among the top eight teams to qualify for the Champions Trophy. An upset will go a long way towards this and notching consecutive victories will also ensure a strong finish for Bangladesh, whose tournament hopes nosedived after beating Afghanistan in their opener.But there is a feeling that this is more than the end of their campaign amid off-field rumblings. Bangladesh are dealing with several exits from their dressing room. Fast-bowling coach Allan Donald and computer analyst Shrinivas Chandrasekaran have announced that they won’t be renewing their contracts. In Donald’s case, there is controversy as the BCB sought an explanation from him after he criticised captain Shakib Al Hasan’s appeal in the drama over Angelo Mathews’ timed out dismissal.More coaching staff changes are likely, but Bangladesh will be hoping the off-field turmoil does not affect them in their bid to finish a disappointing World Cup campaign on a bright note.

Form guide

Australia WWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)

Bangladesh WLLLL

In the spotlight: Mitchell Starc and Taskin Ahmed

Only Glenn McGrath and Muthiah Muralidaran have taken more World Cup wickets than left-arm quick Mitchell Starc, who starred in the 2015 and 2019 editions. But Starc has struggled to find his top form in this tournament with 10 wickets at 43.90 and an economy rate of 6.55. He has taken just five wickets in his last five games culminating with 1 for 70 from nine overs against Afghanistan, where Starc couldn’t trouble the batters early and he was torn apart at the death in a ragged display. If Australia are to win a sixth title, Starc will have to rediscover his best and he has a golden opportunity to turn around his form against a Bangladesh batting order susceptible to left-arm pace.Taskin Ahmed has bounced back in the last few games•Associated Press

Quick Taskin Ahmed finally bowled well in the World Cup after several ordinary outings. Even though he finished wicketless for the second straight match, his pace was up and his wobble seam delivery was on show against Sri Lanka. He bowled a strong opening spell, and then delivered tight bowling in the middle and at the end. He conceded just 39 runs in 10 overs to be clearly his team’s most economical bowler. Taskin is known as the bowling pack leader, so it was important that he bounced back after indifferent performances.

Team news: Smith set to return from vertigo, Shakib ruled out

Steven Smith is likely to return after missing the match against Afghanistan due to vertigo, while Maxwell faces a fitness test after severely cramping during his herculean innings. If they are available to play, Australia will have a fully fit squad to choose from for the first time this tournament. Marnus Labuschagne or Marcus Stoinis will likely make way for Smith depending on what type of balance the team management leans towards. Labuschagne is a similar type of batter to Smith and has been a consistent scorer in the tournament although he is striking sedately at 77. Stoinis has generally struggled, but provides alluring big-hitting and all-round skills much like Maxwell. Sean Abbott could also come into the mix if one of the big three quicks is given a break before the semi-final.Australia (probable): 1 David Warner, 2 Travis Head, 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Josh Inglis (wk), 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Marcus Stoinis/Marnus Labuschagne, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh HazlewoodCaptain Shakib Al Hasan will miss this game with a fractured left index finger and he is likely to be replaced by allrounder Mahedi Hasan or left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed. Anamul Haque, Shakib’s replacement in the squad, might be in line to replace opener Tanzid Hasan, who has made just one half-century from eight innings in the tournament.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Litton Das, 2 Tanzid Hasan/Anamul Haque, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Mahmudullah, 6 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 7 Nasum Ahmed/Mahedi Hasan, 8 Towhid Hridoy, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Shoriful Islam

Pitch and conditions

The Maharashtra Cricket Association surface has been batting-friendly with South Africa and England posting scores over 330 after batting first in the last two matches at the ground. But seamers have also done well on a pitch offering bounce and carry.Warm and sunny conditions are expected on Saturday with a maximum temperature of 32 degrees Celsius forecast.

Stats and trivia

• Australia and Bangladesh have not played against each other in ODIs since the 2019 World Cup.
• Australia have won 19 of 20 completed ODIs against Bangladesh and all three contested in World Cups.
• Glenn Maxwell is 108 runs away from becoming the 19th Australian to reach 4000 ODI runs.
  

  Quotes

  “It will be based on the surface. If we think that we have a surface that is challenging in a certain area then we can shift in one direction. The more bowling options that we have we feel we can cover in terms of the opposition batting.”
  “We [are] actually spoiled. We had him for a long, long time and I mean when you have someone like Shakib’s calibre, [the] No. 1 all-rounder, it’s two players in one so it’s hard to do much with the combination. So, we will definitely want to fill his bowling vacuum with another spinner or a fast bowler. It’s batting we’re going to miss and his leadership. So, it’s hard.”

The 22-year old right-arm fast bowler has taken 17 wickets in 18 T20Is

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Aug-2022Mohammad Hasnain has been called up to replace the injured Shaheen Shah Afridi in Pakistan’s squad for the upcoming Asia Cup.Related

• PCB grants NOCs to 43 players for BBL draft

• Shaheen Afridi ruled out of Asia Cup with knee injury

• Stoinis to avoid sanctions after appearing to question Hasnain's action

• Mohammad Hasnain cleared to bowl internationally again

Having burst on the scene as a teenager known for his ability to bowl at high pace, Hasnain has made steady progress, playing 18 T20Is for his country and picking up 17 wickets in them. He has also earned acclaim overseas with stints in the Big Bash League, the Caribbean Premier League, English county cricket and the Hundred, where he is currently playing for the Oval Invincibles. The 22-year old already has a hat-trick in T20Is.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Hasnain has had some struggles as well. In February, he was suspended from bowling in international cricket after it was found that his action was suspect. Hasnain has since been able to correct it and was fully cleared to bowl again but, earlier this month, Marcus Stoinis appeared to question the fast bowler’s release.Pakistan begin their Asia Cup campaign on August 28 against India. They had been hopeful of Shaheen being able to recover from his knee injury by then – he sustained it in July and had since been kept under wraps by the team management. He still stayed with the squad and even went on tours – he was part of the ODI squad in the victory over Netherlands – but did not play any of the three games. Eventually it became clear that Shaheen needed four-six weeks rest and as a result he was ruled out of both the Asia Cup and the seven-match T20I series against England next month. He faces a race against time to be fit for the T20 World Cup in October as well.

David Lloyd scores 84 but Sussex openers respond by posting 99 without loss

ECB Reporters Network15-Apr-2021An excellent unbeaten hundred from Kiran Carlson lifted Glamorgan to a respectable score on the first day of Glamorgan’s LV=Insurance County Championship match against Sussex as the home side reached 285 all out.Related

• Darren Stevens top scores for Kent with 52 but hosts flounder against Yorkshire

• Adam Lyth falls just shy of ton as Yorkshire frustrate Kent bowlers

Sussex’s openers looked excellent in response, Tom Haines and Aaron Thomason both reaching the close undefeated with their team 99 without loss.Sussex were on top in the opening overs of the match with Ollie Robinson and Harry Crocombe getting the ball to move late, but Glamorgan came back into it thanks to Carlson’s hundred and David Lloyd’s 84.Robinson had Nick Selman trapped lbw with the fourth ball of the match and had Andy Balbirnie dismissed the same way in the seventh over of the Glamorgan innings. When Crocombe got another lbw, this time Billy Root, Glamorgan were 23 for 3 and in serious danger of collapsing.Lloyd’s attacking intent and Carlson’s more measured accumulation blunted the Sussex attack, with both particularly brutal to the bowling of George Garton who went for 30 runs from just four overs.It was Crocombe who ended Lloyd’s fine knock of 84 with a ball that bounced and moved away to give Garton a sharp catch at second slip to end a stand of 110 with Carlson.Carlson remained unflustered as partners fell around him with Glamorgan losing three wickets for 46 runs when Crocombe and Robinson were reintroduced into the attack.Carlson was lucky to survive on 91 when Tom Clark was edged to Garton at first slip who failed to take the chance diving to his right. Had the chance been taken it would have been a wicket with Clark’s first ball in first-class cricket. Carlson made the most of this good fortune, registering his fifth first-class hundred from 152 balls.An 87-run stand between Carlson and Dan Douthwaite took Glamorgan to 266 for 6. Douthwaite was just starting to open his shoulders and look to score quickly when he mistimed a drive off Stuart Meaker for 36. Three quick wickets from Jack Carson rounded off the Glamorgan innings with Carlson unbeaten on 127.While Carlson and Lloyd had done well the Sussex opening pair put Glamorgan’s efforts into context. Thomason made 52 and Haines 43 with none of the Glamorgan bowlers getting the same movement with the new ball that Robinson and Crocombe had managed.

It’s the last weekend of the regular season in the WBBL with the final push for a spot in the knockouts

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Nov-2019Sydney Sixers v Adelaide StrikersSarah Coyte’s three-for and Tahlia McGrath’s 2 for 19 and a 35-ball 30 amplified Sydney Sixers‘ chances of missing out on a place in the WBBL semi-finals for the first time in history of the tournament as the Adelaide Strikers chased the paltry target of 94 down with 29 balls to spare.In the injury-enforced absence of regular captain Ellyse Perry, Alyssa Healy opted to bat in the first of the two must-win weekend fixtures against the Strikers. But it didn’t pay off at Hurstville Oval as Healy and No. 3 Ashleigh Gardner fell inside three overs to Megan Schutt, who finished with 2 for 12.The Sixers never recovered from the early wobble as Coyte and McGrath dented the middle and lower-middle order with regular strikes, Coyte returning an outstanding 3 for 9 – with a maiden – off her full allocation. Marizanne Kapp top-scored with 20 while Dane van Niekerk made 19, but their efforts could only help the Sixers to 93 for 9.Strikers opener Suzie Bates’ dismissal in the first over, courtesy Kapp, raised hopes of a fightback. However, a 72-run stand between McGrath and Sophie Devine – the latter making 46 not-out on her way to becoming the first overseas player to 2000 WBBL runs – steered Strikers to their tenth win of the season – and the top of the table – in only 15.1 overs.Melbourne Stars v Melbourne RenegadesJess Duffin continued to carry the Melbourne Renegades on her shoulders as they pushed for a place in the semi-finals with a superbly-paced chase against the Melbourne Stars to win by six wickets with a ball to spare. Duffin struck 76 off 57 balls after coming in at 2 for 11 in the second over, initially steadying the innings with Tammy Beaumont before adding 81 in 10 overs with Courtney Webb (30). Georgia Wareham then played a vital cameo in a tense finish with eight need off the last over. The Stars had fallen away after a tremendous opening stand of 118 in 13 overs between Elyse Villani (45) and Lizelle Lee (70). That pair departed in the space of three deliveries and the Stars could only add 44 in the remainder of the innings, 20 of those coming off the last over.Perth Scorchers v Hobart HurricanesErin Fazackerley’s first half-century of the season set up Hobart Hurricanes‘ emphatic six-wicket win over the Perth Scorchers. Hurricanes’ successful chase of 108 gave them only their fourth win of the tournament, but pegged back the third-placed Scorchers on their path to consolidating their position in the top two, heading into the final day of the league stage.The Hurricanes attack bowled the Scorchers out for a meagre 107 after opting to field at the Lilac Hill Park. Tayla Vlaeminck accounted for openers Amy Jones and Meg Lanning with two outstanding inswingers inside the Powerplay. Medium-pacers Belinda Vakarewa and Nicola Carey and wristspinner Maisy Gibson then combined to take five wickets between them, bowling the opposition out off the last ball of the 20th over.Opening the innings for the Hurricanes, 21-year-old Fazackerley anchored the chase, hitting five fours and two sixes in a 48-ball 58 – the second half-century in her WBBL career. Although medium-pacer Taneale Peschel’s double-wicket second over – she was on a hat-trick when Fran Wilson was on strike – caused a scare early in the chase, captain Corine Hall and South Africa allrounder Chloe Tryon – the latter hitting a six for the winning runs – ensured the Hurricanes overhauled the chase in 15.4 overs, six balls after Fazackerley fell.The final set of league games will be played on Sunday, with the Sixers and the Melbourne Renegades vying for the fourth and final berth in the knockouts. The Strikers, Scorchers, and Brisbane Heat are already through.

PCB chairman Ehsan Mani has said he will look into the issue of conflict of interest on a ‘case-by-case’ basis

Umar Farooq23-Oct-2018Dual roles held by national-team coaches Mickey Arthur and Azhar Mahmood have come under the spotlight, following recent cases of high-profile names having to give up roles in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Arthur, Pakistan’s head coach, and Azhar, the bowling coach, are both also coaches with Karachi Kings in the PSL, which has raised questions about potential conflicts of interest.Last month, the PCB removed chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq from the PSL player draft committee because of a potential conflict of interest since he was involved with a talent-hunt programme run by one of the tournament’s franchises, Lahore Qalandars. Tauseef Ahmed, who is also part of the national selection committee while also being Islamabad United’s spin coach, was also left out of the PSL draft committee.Ehsan Mani, the PCB’s new chairman, has said he will look into other cases of conflict of interest on a “case-by-case” basis.”That is certainly something I will look at,” Mani told ESPNcricinfo. “I know commitments have already been made and contracts have already been signed so you can’t enter and break them overnight. But if there is a conflict of interest that effects Pakistan cricket, of course I will get into it.”[The PCB removed Inzamam from the PSL draft-selection process because] that created a conflict of interest. If he is there with the franchise then he can’t be choosing the players and that made logical sense. In terms of him [Arthur] and others involved with PSL franchises we will look case by case on merit basis and will raise [the issue] with them and consult with people concerned.”ESPNcricinfo understands that Arthur has no vote in picking Pakistan’s squads, though the selectors take his inputs on board, but he does have a vote in selecting the final playing XI.In 2016, Arthur was already Karachi Kings’ head coach when he took over the Pakistan role shortly after Waqar Younis’ resignation.Arthur, with then PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan, had negotiated a contract to allow both roles, foregoing his monthly PCB retainer during the duration of the PSL. When he renewed his contract as Pakistan coach until the 2019 World Cup, this agreement remained intact. Arthur has coached Karachi Kings in all three seasons of the PSL so far, and is set to do so again in the fourth edition in 2019.Speaking to ESPNcricinfo in 2016, Mani had questioned the decision to allow him to continue in both roles.”I do not believe that the national coach should be involved with any domestic team,” he had said. “This creates a conflict of interest. Unfortunately it is also a reflection of the governance standards of the PCB.”Arthur has brushed away any suggestions that his dual roles could be a problem.”I see absolutely no conflict at all and in fact see it as a massive benefit because it allows me to see all the best young talent available,” Arthur told ESPNcricinfo in 2016. “I certainly am professional enough not to in any way be biased in selections or opinions on any player because at he end of the day I am here to assist Pakistan cricket and make Pakistan cricket the best and I am not going to jeopardize that in any way.”Other than cricket affairs, Mani has also removed Shakeel Sheikh from an advisory post created by the previous chairman Najam Sethi. Sheikh was the powerful former PCB governing board member representing the Islamabad region, and had taken on the role of advisor on domestic cricket and grounds upon the completion of his term last year. The role switch put him in a potential conflict of interest, and he was thought to be allotting a disproportionate number of matches to the Diamond Cricket Club ground in the Islamabad region.Sheikh was considered the most powerful non-cricketer individual running domestic cricket affairs. Mani has dissolved all the committees formed during Sethi’s tenure, citing conflict of interest as a major issue in all of them.