Sports minister asks PCB to submit report on debacle in Oz

Amid talks of drastic changes in the Pakistan Cricket Board as well as in the national side after the disastrous tour of Australia, Federal Sports Minister Ejaz Hussain Jakhrani said he has asked PCB for an inquiry report on the "shameful" performance of the team Down Under.

Amid talks of drastic changes in the Pakistan Cricket Board as well as in the national side after the disastrous tour of Australia, Federal Sports Minister Ejaz Hussain Jakhrani on Monday said he has asked PCB for an inquiry report on the "shameful" performance of the team Down Under.

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Dropping hints that he would be pressing for a new management in the cricket board, Jakhrani told reporters that he would talk to the chief patron of PCB, President Asif Zardari and ask him to look into possible changes in the cricket set-up in the country.

"The team's performance was shameful and disappointing for everyone. We have already told the PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt to send us an inquiry report on the team's performance in Australia," he said.

Pakistan suffered whitewash in both the three-match Test and five-game ODI series and as if the humiliation was not enough stand-in skipper Shahid Afridi was slapped a two T20 International ban for ball tampering during the fifth one-dayer in Perth.

Worse still, it is now confirmed that skipper Mohammad Yousuf has left the team hotel to return home after a tiff with coach Intikhab Alam before the start of the fifth ODI over team selection issues.

"Afridi has been asked to return home after his ban but Yousuf, who is not part of the T20 squad, left for Sydney immediately after the fifth ODI as he wants to return to Pakistan," one source said.