Ramiz Raja elected as PCB's 36th Chairman
Ramiz Raja was elected unanimously and unopposed as the PCB’s 36th Chairman for a 3-year term, in a special meeting presided over by the PCB Election Commissioner, Mr Justice (retd) Sheikh Azmat Saeed on Monday. Post the event, Raja gave a blueprint of his plans to strengthen Pakistan cricket.
Former Pakistan captain and 1992 World Cup winner Ramiz Raja, along with Mr Asad Ali Khan, was nominated by the PCB Patron, Prime Minister Imran Khan, on the PCB Board of Governors on 27 August for a three-year term, where they joined Mr Aasim Wajid Jawad, Ms Alia Zafar, Mr Arif Saeed, Mr Javed Kurieshi (all independent members) and Mr Wasim Khan (PCB Chief Executive).
Raja had served as Pakistan’s 18th Test and 12th ODI captain, and between 1984 and 1997 played 255 (57 Tests and 198 ODIs) international matches in which he scored 8,674 runs. He has previously served the PCB as its Chief Executive from 2003-2004, has represented Pakistan on the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee and presently sits on the MCC World Cricket Committee. He has been a successful broadcaster with world’s leading cricket networks and is widely regarded as the voice of Pakistan cricket.
The 59-year-old is only the fourth former Pakistan international cricketer to head the PCB after Mr Abdul Hafeez Kardar (1972-1977), Mr Javed Burki (1994-1995) and Mr Ijaz Butt (2008-2011).
Addressing the BoG following his election, Mr Ramiz Raja said: “I am thankful to all of you for electing me as the PCB Chairman and look forward to working with you to ensure Pakistan cricket continues to thrive and grow stronger, both on and off-the-field.
“One of my key focuses will be to help introduce in the Pakistan men’s cricket team the same culture, mind-set, attitude and approach that once made Pakistan one of the most feared cricket playing nations. As an organisation, we all need to get behind the national team and provide them the desired assistance and support so that they can produce that brand of cricket, which the fans also expect from them each time they step on to the field of play.
“Obviously, as a former cricketer, my other priority will be to look into the welfare of our past and present cricketers. The game has and will always be about the cricketers and, as such, they deserve more recognition and respect from their parent institution.”
Mr Ramiz Raja will hold a media conference at 1415 Pakistan time in the Bob Woolmer Indoor School, National High Performance Centre and live-stream of this session will be available across all PCB social media platforms.
(With inputs from PCB release)