LAHORE: The stalling of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) pending election process due to litigations in several courts across the country has made the board’s chairman’s post a “joke”, former chief Khalid Mehmood has said.

The polls to elect the PCB’s new chief were scheduled to be held on Tuesday with Zaka Ashraf touted to take the position but a stay order from the Balochistan High Court a night earlier and later more from courts across the country have postponed the elections for now.

The delay has left the board without a proper head with election commissioner Ahmed Shehzad Farooq Rana acting as the PCB chairman amid several pressing issues surrounding the country’s cricket including uncertainty over the national side’s visit to India for this year’s World Cup.

“It is one of the highest posts in the country, which has become a joke at a time when the PCB has to fight many cases for Pakistan at the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) level,” Khalid told Dawn on Wednesday.

Pakistan also have to co-host the Asia Cup along with Sri Lanka in August-September and the PCB, before its interim Manag­ement Committee was dissolved, was pursuing negotiations with the ACC over hosting a few more matches of the tournament other than the confirmed four.

“The situation is not good and it should be solved immediately in order to put the PCB affairs back on the right track,” Khalid said.

The former PCB chief believed the board patron-in-chief, the Prime Minister, should only nominate for the chairman post people who have a background of cricket, as players or as organisers. He was opposed to “favourism” in the nomination process.

Khalid was also critical of the former interim Management Committee chief Najam Sethi for publicly tweeting about his withdrawal from the chairmanship race on the basis of political issues.

“The ICC constitution forbids its members from involving the government in the affairs of its respective affiliated boards and by tweeting such messages you are inviting the ICC to take action against the PCB,” he said.

ILYAS CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION

Former chief selector and Test cricketer Mohamamd Ilyas echoed Khalid’s thoughts and urged the Prime Minister to take immediate action to streamline the affairs of the PCB.

Ilyas said the board needed a “powerful” chairman as Pakistan fights its cases on several fronts. Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, Ilyas said it was unfortunate that the PCB chairman’s election had become such a complicated process.

“I think it is also against the Prime Minister’s pride that his nominees are not welcome at the PCB level and I do hope he will take all necessary steps to solve this matter,” he said.

Ilyas also expressed his concerns over the Asia Cup issue.“Look Pakistan has to host the Asia Cup at two venues and time is running short as many decisions are to be taken.

“Moreover, the ICC has also announced the World Cup’s schedule. The PCB has to deal with different issues relating to that as well.”

Ilyas added that “a strong PCB chairman is the need of the time” with the ICC meetings scheduled next month where the board is expected to carry out discussions over the upcoming revenue-sharing model of the world’s cricket governing body.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2023