Zaheer Abbas not to appear at ICC hearing

Zaheer Abbas, former Pakistan captain and manager on the recent tour to England, will not be attending the ICC hearing as a witness on charges laid against Inzamam-ul-Haq for ball tampering and bringing the game into disrepute. Abbas was listed by the PCB as one of their witnesses, as well as Danish Kaneria and Umar Gul, but it was confirmed by the board that neither of the three will be going and written statements will now be sought from the three.

Abbas told APP, "I am not required to appear as a witness in the hearing and according to my information, Gul and Kaneria are not needed to appear either." This was confirmed by the PCB. Abbas Zaidi, director board operations, told the Karachi-based daily Dawn that Abbas had been advised to stay at home.

"Since we are bound to act on the advice of our lawyers whom we have engaged to plead Inzamam's case, we have now been informed that Zaheer, Danish and Umar are not required to attend the hearing in person," said Zaidi.

He added, "In fact, the lawyers have now sought written statements of these three individuals. Now apart from Inzamam, the PCB chairman and Bob Woolmer will be present when the hearing begins next week."

Abbas was replaced by Talat Ali last week for the upcoming Champions Trophy as manager of the Pakistan side. At the time, the PCB explicitly stated that the move was not "any indictment on the capability or ability of Zaheer Abbas as team manager." Instead, it was explained, that because of Abbas's involvement as a witness in the hearings and any possible appeals thereafter "we wouldn't like to put any extra pressure on him" by retaining him as manager.

But the developments now confirm what many in Pakistan had assumed but what the PCB refused to acknowledge publicly - that Abbas's removal as Pakistan manager was the result of his perceived lack of action during the Oval Test crisis and the criticism he came in for in its aftermath. Many felt he should have played a more proactive role in trying to negotiate between the ICC, the umpires and the PCB.

Abbas was also attacked him for a number of statements he made in the immediate aftermath of the incident, including his terming of Darrell Hair's US$500,000 resignation offer, a "moral victory" for Pakistan.