Profiles / Editor / 26 March 2007 /

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Nasim Ashraf has revealed he received an email from Bob Woolmer just hours before his murder confirming his intention to retire from international coaching.

The 58-year-old indicated that he intended to stand down from his post of Pakistan coach after the failure to reach the Super 8 phase of the tournament but was then found unconscious in his room in Kingston, Jamaica.

Investigations are ongoing into who could have carried out the murder but talk of suicide has been rubbished by the former Warwickshire coach's friends and family, despite his obvious distress at losing to World Cup 'minnows' Ireland.

Ashraf said: "It was the email of a man who had been deeply hurt. He said that the boys gave it their best to the last minute.

"In that email he had shared some of his thoughts, he told me that he was hanging up his boots and retiring from international coaching.

"However he told me that he would continue to be involved in cricket at the grassroots level. He was not going to do international work any more.

"At the end he had some suggestions for Pakistan cricket that are very valid and that he has shared with those in the team before."

Despite the cloud hanging over the tournament, the Super 8 stage will begin on Tuesday as tournament favourites Australia (2.58) take on the host nation in Antigua, with the Windies trading at 10 to claim their first World Cup since 1979.

Ricky Ponting's men trade at 1.42 to upset the home fans and take the points from their clash at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, while Brian Lara's men can be backed at 3.35.

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