Najam Sethi has pulled himself out of the race to become the next Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman and has also stepped down as head of the board. The interim management committee was runned by him since last December, whose term was to end on June 21. It was assumed that Najam Sethi would carry on even after the interim set-up ended and would be appointed chairman of the board, but after the return of former board chairman Zaka Ashraf, speculation increased. Although Ashraf’s return as chairman is not yet official, Sethi will no longer hold the position.
Sethi’s tweet
Sethi tweeted that he doesn’t want to be the cause of discord between Asif Zardari and Shehbaz Sharif because such volatility and uncertainty are not good for the Pakistan Cricket Board. Sethi stated that, under these circumstances, he is not a candidate for the post of PCB Chairman. He also wished good luck to all the stakeholders. This tweet threw a light on the long-running political framework that concerns the seat of chairperson.
This usually comes through the recommendation of the Prime Minister, so in this case, it would be someone appointed by Shehbaz Sharif and his Pakistan Muslim Nawaz Party. Ashraf is from the Pakistan People’s Party, an alliance partner in the current government of Pakistan, so he came into this scenario. This party seems to have their man in the form of the PCB chairman, so that they can be in charge of the game in Pakistan.
Ashraf can be nominated
While the Prime Minister has yet to nominate two names, it is assumed that Ashraf, along with eminent Supreme Court lawyer Mustafa Ramday, are the two people who will be nominated. They both will be included in the PCB’s 10-member board of governors, in which one of the PM’s direct nominees is likely to be elected as the PCB chairman for three years.
Next president will still have this major issue to be solved
Sethi has been running PCB since the removal of Rameez Raja from the post of Chairman, six months into his tenure, the management appointed Mickey Arthur as part-time director of cricket. One of the most important parts of the tenure also included the hosting of the Asia Cup and Pakistan’s participation in the World Cup in 2023. Their participation will still remain a vital concern for the next president, as Pakistan has not yet officially announced its standpoint on participating in the World Cup.
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