Uproar in Pakistan cricket – PCB chief Najam Sethi resign his post

Najam Sethi: There is a ruckus in the Pakistan Cricket Board at the moment. Najam Sethi, who was elected PCB chairman last year, pulled himself out of the race for the board chairman's candidature this time. Now the news has come that Najam Sethi has also left the post of PCB chairman. Explain that Najam withdrew his candidature for the post of president, saying that he does not want to be the root of the dispute between Pakistan Peoples Party President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Najam Sethi left the post

Najam Sethi has effectively stepped down as the head of the PCB, according to ESPNcricinfo, after pulling himself out of the race to become the next board chairman. Sethi was heading an interim management committee that had been running the board since last December but its term was to end on June 21. Until recently, it seemed likely that Sethi would move on once the interim set-up was over and a proper chairman of the board was appointed. But in the last few weeks, speculation about the return of Zaka Ashraf had increased. The return of former board chairman Ashraf is not yet official, but Sethi will no longer hold the position.

Tweeted a big update

Salaam everyone! I don’t want to be a bone of contention between Asif Zardari and Shehbaz Sharif. Such instability and uncertainty is not good for PCB. Under the circumstances I am not a candidate for Chairmanship of PCB. Good luck to all stakeholders.

— Najam Sethi (@najamsethi) June 19, 2023

Najam Sethi had given information about withdrawing the candidature through a tweet. In his tweet, he said - Greetings to all! I don't want to be the cause of controversy between Asif Zardari and Shehbaz Sharif. This kind of volatility and uncertainty is not good for PCB. Under these circumstances, I am not a candidate for the post of PCB chairman. Best wishes to all the stakeholders.

According to Pakistani media reports, Zaka Ashraf will take charge of PCB in place of Najam Sethi. Zaka Ashraf has held this post earlier also.

After the Mumbai attack, there was a bilateral series between India and Pakistan in the year 2012. Zaka Ashraf had a big contribution in getting that series done. Zaka Ashraf was the chairman of PCB at that time.

Politics created ruckus in PCB

Shehbaz Sharif is the current Prime Minister of Pakistan and PCB Patron. Former President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari, along with the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), is a key coalition partner in the current government and Ashraf is considered his party's man for the post. Traditionally in Pakistan cricket, the ruling party has a hand in choosing the chairman of the PCB board.

Had cleared before

Earlier on Friday, talking to media persons in Lahore, he said that I have heard about speculations being made for the post of PCB chairman. I do not want to get into the matter as it rests with the patrons to decide.