The Pakistan Cricket Board on Tuesday axed former Test captain Zaheer Abbas as the national team manager and replaced him with Talat Ali for the Champions Trophy in India.

Zaheer's removal was on the cards ever since the Oval Test incident and the appointment of Talat is a clear victory for PCB's director Cricket Operations, Saleem Altaf.

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan and Altaf have not seen eye to eye on many issues and it is no secret that despite the latter trying to bring in Talat as chief selector and then manager, Shaharyar had resisted his every move.

But Altaf apparently had his day on Tuesday as Shaharyar announced the change and at the same time defended it saying that Zaheer had not been sacked.

"The decision is no way any indictment or verdict on Zaheer's ability or performance as a manager. We just thought it would be better he was rested for the time being as he is our main witness in the ICC hearing on September 27 and 28 in London," Shaharyar said.