Under-fire Pakistan manager steps down

The PCB said Saeed had asked the board chairman if he could be relieved of his duties. Yawar Saeed met with the chairman today who has accepted his request," PCB media manager Nadeem Sarwar told reporters.

"The board will announce a new manager in due course."

Saeed has come in for severe criticism for his handling of team affairs on the tour of England, which was marred by corruption allegations. "I don't want to comment on my decision but I have been thinking about it for a while now," Saeed said.

Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt and team mates Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif were suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after newspaper allegations that they had deliberately arranged for no-balls to be delivered during last month's fourth Test against England.

The ICC also launched an investigation into suspicious "scoring patterns" by Pakistan in the third one dayer, which the visitors won.

The 75-year-old managed the Pakistan team on numerous tours since the 70s and was a member of the inquiry committee that probed into the team's poor performances in Australia early this year that led to the banning and fining of seven players.

Former Test captain, Aamir Sohail said he was not surprised that Saeed had stepped down as there was too much pressure on the current board and team management after the England tour.

"I think the PCB is under pressure now to make a fresh start and I think we can expect more changes," he said. Pakistan will next play South Africa in the UAE.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt is due to arrive in London to consult his legal advisers about replying to English demands that he apologise over allegations about match-fixing.

Butt will also meet Scotland Yard officials to discuss the spot-fixing accusations which overshadowed the team's recent tour. Butt and PCB legal adviser Tafazzul Rizvi will attend a series of meetings in London this week.