The winds of change have begun to blow through the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after Imran Khan was ousted from office by a vote of no-confidence, becoming the country’s first prime minister to be deposed by a parliamentary revolt.
According to insiders, Najam Sethi’s prospects of re-election as cricket board chairman are good, while current chairman Ramiz Raja is expected to quit on his own soon (claim of close circles).
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As history has shown, after a power shift, change is unavoidable. Shahbaz Sharif, the opposition leader and likely future Prime Minister, is close to Sethi. He is eager to rejoin the cricket board, and preliminary discussions have already begun.
Najam, 73, was appointed chairman for the first time in 2013 but had to endure a legal struggle with Chaudhry Muhammad Zaka Ashraf. In 2014, he returned to the helm, although Shahryar Khan was made chairman, and Sethi was granted command of the influential executive committee. He wielded significant authority behind the scenes.
In August 2017, he was re-appointed chairman of the board, but a year later, he stood down after Imran Khan became Prime Minister and named his replacement, former ICC President Ehsan Mani, as the next chairman of the cricket board.
Many present executives, including Zakir Khan, who now serves as Director International Cricket, will be forced to resign.
On the other hand, there is a good chance that the old domestic system will be reinstated under the new administration. The departments were dissolved under Imran Khan’s regime, and domestic cricket was reduced to six associations, resulting in the layoff of thousands of cricketers. Former chairman Ehsan Mani said that cricketers and coaches will be paid the same as previously, however this did not materialise.
Many players and officials have been compelled to leave the game and seek other employment. So far, there has been no progress in the home system. It will be difficult to persuade departments to establish teams again. Over the next month, significant changes are expected in Pakistan cricket.
