Shashank Manohar provided excellent leadership ICC needed at a difficult time, feels Ehsan Mani

After being at the loggerheads with the BCCI for a long period of time, Shashank Manohar formally stepped down as the ICC chairman after heading the sport’s global governing body for four years. While many old guards of the BCCI claimed that Manohar’s reign caused great harm to Indian cricket, Mani understandably holds a different view.

“PCB has no issues with BCCI. I do not have a fear that some countries will put their interests ahead of what is good for the game as a whole. We all owe a duty of care to the global game and the well-being of world cricket and not put our short term interests before it. A good leader will bring countries together and act in the best interest of all the Full and Associate ICC Members. Shashank Manohar was excellent and provided the leadership ICC needed at a difficult time. I hope that the next chairperson will do the same,” Mani told Cricbuzz.

The Asia Cup was called off recently, with the Asian Cricket Council announcing that the next edition has been rescheduled for June 2021. Mani, however, stated that the financial impact on Pakistan is minimal. 

“The staging of the Asia Cup has been postponed due to circumstances beyond the control of any of the ACC countries. The Sri Lankan Cricket Board and PCB agreed some time ago that Sri Lanka would host the next Asia Cup instead of Pakistan, as it is more likely that Sri Lanka will be in a position to host it as the COVID-19 impact there appears to be in better control than in most countries in our region. 

“The financial impact on Pakistan is minimal; the importance of the Asia Cup is that it generates funds for the development of the emerging cricket nations in Asia. There is complete consensus within ACC on the timing of the Asia Cup,” Mani added.