Afridi's meeting with Zardari on cards

Shahid Afridi may get a chance to meet President Asif Ali Zardari in Karachi, with the former captain likely to request the chief patron of the Pakistan Cricket Board to pave the way for his return to the national team.

"It is not 100 per cent confirmed but yes there are indications that President Zardari will take some time out from his busy schedule on Tuesday to devote to cricket issues," a source said. 

Zardari is presently in the city in connection with visits to the flood-hit areas and also for meetings with coalition partners of the government in the Sindh province. 

The source said, beside meeting Afridi, the President could also meet with the Chairman of the board Ijaz Butt and Pakistan's former captain, Javed Miandad.

Presently both Afridi and Miandad are not happy with Butt and have complained publicly about this. 

"Look, it is no secret that Afridi is keen to get back into the national team and the only way this can happen is if
the President intervenes and tells Ijaz Butt to sort out issues with the all-rounder," another source said. 

"Afridi's recent statements are a clear indication about his desperation to play again for Pakistan and that is why he
has attempted to speak directly to the chief patron to resolve the issue," the source added. 

Interestingly, even Butt's three-year tenure as Chairman of the board ends on October 8 and sources say the President
is likely to give him a two-year extension.

Afridi had earlier told the media that he was ready to play for Pakistan under any captain as captaincy was never an
issue for him. 

"All I want is an improved dressing room environment and that appears to be happening and coach Waqar Younis is also
now gone," Afridi said.

Sources said that Afridi, since his conditional retirement from all international cricket in late May, had been using his
political contacts to sort out issues with Butt but not met with success. 

"Finally it appears as if his contacts have got him some time with the President who is in a position to tell Butt to
resolve the issue,"the source said.