Ehsan Mani set to take over as PCB chairman after Najam Sethi’s resignation

Pakistan prime minister, who is also the Patron of the cricket board, took to Twitter and announced former ICC president - Mani as the next chairman of the PCB. According to the PCB constitution, Khan has the power to nominate the Board of Governors (BoG) after which a special meeting will be called to elect the new chairman. 

"I have appointed Ehsan Mani as Chairman PCB. He brings vast and valuable experience to the job. He represented PCB in the ICC; was Treasurer ICC for 3 yrs and then headed the ICC for another 3 yrs," Khan tweeted.

"I will have to understand the issues that persist in the cricket board. I will work to enhance the domestic cricket according to Khan's vision and bring its strength back," Mani told Dunya News after his nomination to the BoG.

Mani was elected as the ICC President in 2003 and represented the Pakistan board from 1989 till 1996 and then was unanimously elected as the chairman of ICC Finance and Marketing committee.

It has been the norm in Pakistan cricket that with a new government in power, there is always a change in the top position of the PCB. In this case, the history shared between Khan and Sethi was in discussion ever since the results were out and Sethi’s resignation was something expected.

Sethi was appointed as the chief minister of Punjab after 2013 general elections and Khan had alleged that he rigged the elections in the favour of Nawaz Sharif, whose party Pakistan Muslim League won the 2013 elections. 

“I was waiting for the new Prime Minister to take oath before submitting my resignation as PCB Chairman, which I have done today. I wish PCB all the best and hope our cricket team goes from strength to strength. Eid Mubarak. Pakistan Zindabad,” tweeted Sethi.

“You have said on many occasions that you have a vision for Pakistan Cricket. Therefore it is only proper that you should assume charge and responsibility for assembling a management team for PCB that enjoys your full confidence and trust. In order to facilitate your objectives in the interest of Pakistan cricket, I hereby submit my resignation as Chairman of PCB and Member of its BoG (Board of Governors)... I believe I have served the cause of cricket diligently," Sethi wrote in his resignation letter to the Prime Minister.

Sethi was nominated to the BoG in 2014 for a three-year term by Sharif and then till 2020 by former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

Sethi will be remembered in Pakistan’s cricket history for his contribution in the launching of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and bringing Zimbabwe, World XI, Sri Lanka, and West Indies to Pakistan for international matches. This year, Pakistan hosted three PSL fixtures in Lahore and Karachi after the final of the 2017 edition was hosted in Lahore, which played a role in convincing international teams to visit the country.