In March 2007, having been in the position for five months after he took over from Shaharyar Khan who stood down in October, Ashraf tendered his own resignation, accepting responsibility for the Pakistan team's first round exit from the 2007 Cricket World Cup in the West Indies at the hands of young Irish Cricket Team. But his resignation was subsequently rejected by President Pervez Musharraf who asked him to "continue his duty to rebuild the Pakistan cricket team on modern and professional lines".