By Kashif Qamar BBC Urdu Service

New cricket boss for Pakistan

Shaharyar Khan, the new chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, says clean and transparent administration will be his top priority.

He has been named as the PCB chief against a backdrop of allegations of nepotism and kickbacks during the tenure of his predecessor, retired general Tauqir Zia.

"Cricket nowadays has loads of money and it is essential that the affairs of the administration are transparent and clean," Khan told BBC Urdu service in an exclusive interview.

"Officials have been under pressure for selecting favourite players," the former Pakistani foreign secretary continued.

"People have been trying to influence their decisions and the cricket administration has also been suffering from grouping.

"This is not acceptable. We need a clean administration to make it efficient as well.

"I won't allow anyone to pressurise me or other cricket officials. If I won't take any pressure, the same thing will go down to the bottom."

During the recent one-day series against New Zealand, a television rights controversy generated a stir in Pakistan amid allegations of wrongdoing.

I won't be bringing in wholesale changes at once Shaharyar Khan

As a result, millions of fans at home and abroad were not shown the first match, which Pakistan won in nail-biting fashion.

Asked about reported differences between chief selector Aamir Sohail, captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and coach Javed Miandad, Khan said he would be looking into the matter.

"But this is not the biggest or the only issue. There are a lot of other issues which need attention," he added.

"I won't be bringing in wholesale changes at once. I will talk to former administrators, cricketers and former players before introducing reforms."

And he insists the game's infrastructure is in need of urgent investment to secure the future of Pakistan cricket.

"Academies and training facilities on top-level cricket have been fruitful but the game needs investment on the lowest level as people don't have grounds or playing facilities.

"This is essential to maintain the influx of good cricketers," Khan said.

Referring to the recent refusal of New Zealand and South Africa to play in Karachi and Peshawar, he said the decision on where to play must be left to the host country.

"When we are responsible for the security of the visitors, and we can provide it anywhere in Pakistan, it would be inappropriate that visitors decide whether to play at any particular centre," he said.