COLOMBO, July 23: Pakistan team management refused to comment on the controversy kicked up by Rashid Latif in the magazine Outlook.

The team, which could not be contacted yesterday as they had gone for a one-day trip to Nuwara-Eliya, a scenic resort 125 miles from Colombo, decided to keep mum on the issue and let the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) handle it the way they want.

Zaheer Abbas, manager of the Pakistan cricket team, said: ``I am not going to comment. It is now up to the PCB to decide the future course of action.''Pakistani skipper Rameez Raja, when confronted by the Indian media, said: ``We are here to play in the Asia Cup, and play as well as we can. Our priority is cricket. I think PCB is the one which is competent to react to the matter.''

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.