October 16 Wednesday 2002
Pakistan's Musharraf refuses to accept cricket chief's resignation 

ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf Tuesday refused to accept the resignation of national cricket board chairman Lieutenant General Tauqir Zia, which he had tendered after a devastating Test defeat against Australia. 

"Musharraf has not accepted the resignation of Lieutenant General Tauqir Zia and asked him to continue as Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board," a statement released by the board said. 

The president had "expressed complete confidence" in Zia and told him "he was the right man to guide Pakistan cricket through the current crisis," the board said after a meeting between Zia and Musharraf. Pakistan slumped to its lowest Test score ever for the second time in two days Saturday, making 59 in the first innings and 53 in the econd against Australia in the United Arab Emirate's Sharjah. 

Australia bowled out Pakistan in the second Test to win by an innings and 198 runs on Saturday. 

"I feel down and embarrassed with my team's performance," Zia said after the match, before handing in his resignation. 

On Tuesday, the president said while he was "disappointed" with Pakistan's performance against Australia in the second Test match, he "hoped it would recover from this shock defeat and would show their true mettle in the third Test" scheduled for October 19.