Pakistan players united, claims Ijaz Butt

By IANS,

Karachi : Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt Tuesday dispelled speculations of discord within the national team, saying that the players were united and looking forward to giving their best in the ICC Champions Trophy.


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The PCB chairman had one-on-one meetings last week with Pakistan team management and players in Karachi. The meetings were held with a view to scotch rumors in the media about rifts within the Pakistan team.

“Having met with manager, coach, assistant coach, captain and other team members on the Sri Lanka tour, I can say with absolute confidence that there was total harmony in the team. They were united and played as a unit,” Butt said in a statement.

Butt met them soon after the Pakistan team returned from Sri Lanka after a disastrous tour, in which it lost both the Test and one-day series against the hosts.

Butt said his players are now preparing for the ICC Champions Trophy 2009 in South Africa where they are aiming to repeat their ICC World Twenty20 championship performance.

Pakistan won the ICC World Twenty20 Championship in England this June but are not considered among the title favourites in the Champions Trophy which gets underway from Sept 22.

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