The Prime Minister named Zaka Ashraf and Supreme Court lawyer Mustafa Ramday to the PCB’s board of governors, bringing them closer to reclaiming the chairmanship.
The day after temporary PCB chairman Najam Sethi quit, the development occurred.
In Pakistan cricket, the Prime Minister’s selection to the PCB board of governors normally becomes the board chairman for a three-year term. Ashraf is the overwhelming favorite to be chosen, making the election process a formality.
“I don’t want to be a bone of contention between Asif Zardari and Shehbaz Sharif,” Sethi tweeted after withdrawing. PCB suffers from such insecurity. I cannot run for PCB chairman. Good luck, stakeholders.”
Sethi’s post referenced the chairmanship’s political maneuvering. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is PCB patron. The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), led by former president Asif Ali Zardari, is a major coalition partner, and Ashraf is considered his party’s candidate.
Former premier Imran Khan’s six-team regional cricket idea was canceled.
Sharif’s PML-N party usually chooses the PCB chairman. Over the previous few of weeks, the PPP has contended that as the ministry for inter-provincial coordination (IPC) oversees Pakistan sports, it has the authority to submit a candidate.
Ashraf’s reappearance after nine years prevents a recurrence of the 2013–2014 battles between him and Sethi. The chairmanship changed hands multiple times during their legal struggle. Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz’s elder brother, ultimately dismissed Ashraf and appointed Sethi, resolving the conflict. Sethi had to step aside for Ashraf after days of mediation.
Since Ramiz Raja was dismissed as chairman and the 2019 constitution was abolished last December, Sethi has headed the PCB on an interim basis. Sethi’s committee has 120 days to reestablish the PCB’s 2014 constitution and domestic cricket’s regional and department structure. The committee had to organize a board of governors and pick a chairman.
The 2014 constitution mandates the PCB to create a board of governors with four regional representatives, four service organization representatives, and two patron-nominated members.
Over the last six months, Sethi’s management committee has hired a mostly international coaching team for Pakistan, including former head coach Mickey Arthur as part-time director of cricket.
Sethi’s brief tenure was dominated by Pakistan’s hosting of the Asia Cup and its prospective impact on Pakistan’s participation in the World Cup in India in October-November. Three days prior, Sethi stated that Pakistan’s participation in the tournament required official consent. That’s one of Sethi’s successor’s biggest challenges.