spinner Abdul Qadir has been named Pakistan's new chairman of selectors, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Thursday. PCB chairman Ejaz Butt told reporters in Islamabad that Qadir, who played 67 Tests and 104 one-day internationals, had been appointed chairman of the selection committee. “Abdul Qadir is going to be the new chief selector and the rest of the members will be decided later,” Butt said. The 53-year-old Qadir said he had been asked about his availability and had little hesitation accepting the post. “It is a big honor and task for me and the aim of the selectors should be to pick the best national side and also give exposure to new talent,” he said. The PCB had appointed an interim selection committee to pick the squad for the recent one-day series in Abu Dhabi against the West Indies. Other former Test cricketers who were appointed to the PCB after Butt took over last month from Nasim Ashraf include Salim Altaf (chief operating officer), Javed Miandad (director general), Aamir Sohail (director of the national cricket academy) and Wasim Bari (director of human resources). Pak PM assures safety Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani is to personally request his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh allow the Indian team to tour Pakistan early next year. A statement issued by the Prime Minister's secretariat on Thursday said that Gillani had also assured the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that the government would ensure proper security arrangements for the series. “Because the game of cricket is loved by the people of both India and Pakistan, the Prime Minister has said he would personally request the Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh to allow the Indian cricket team to visit Pakistan,” the statement read. “The Prime Minister said this is a very high profile tour and the Indian government would be provided assurance regarding their security concerns that the tour would take place as per the itinerary provided to the Indian cricket board.” The Indian team is scheduled to play three test matches, five one day international matches and one Twenty20 match in Pakistan. PCB hits back The Pakistan Cricket Board hit back at a former top PCB official Wednesday and accused him of maligning paceman Mohammad Asif in a drug case. The head of an inquiry committee – the board's former chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi – said Tuesday that Asif was in possession of opium when he was detained in Dubai earlier this year and has recommended the fast bowler be banned and fined. “The revelation ... is a crude attempt to malign a Test cricketer and cast aspersions on the current management of the PCB,” the cricket board said in a statement.
