PCB’s interim chief Najam Sethi pulls out from the Chairman’s race:

Najam Sethi, who took over as the interim chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board last year, doesn’t want to hold the seat again as he doesn’t want to be the bone of contention between Pakistan’s president Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Najam Sethi was appointed as the PCB’s chief in December 2022; he took over from Ramiz Raja, who resigned after his disagreement with the board of governors over the future of the Pakistan Super League. The 75-year-old announced his decision on Twitter late last night to opt out of the race to become the next PCB’s chairman, which makes it easy for Zaka Ashraf to become the next PCB’s chief, Sethi’s tweet said.

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

Najam Sethi on his Twitter account

Earlier this month, Pakistan’s federal minister, Ehsan Mazari, announced that Zaka Ashraf would be the next PCB chairman. Ehsan Mazari said that the interim chief, Najam Sethi, was appointed to conduct the elections for the PCB’ chief before the management committee was given 120 days to complete its mandate of restoring the 2014 constitution, but they were granted a four-week extension, which ended on June 20th. Zaka Ashraf and Najam Sethi competed for the position in 2013 and 2014 as well, and they had to fight a legal battle, but this time Sethi has already stepped down from the race, and Zaka Ashraf will be the new chief soon.

Though Pakistan’s prime minister Nawaz Sharif is backing Sethi and, as per reports, he is talking to him to not vacate the position like this, the speculations of Ashraf becoming the chief could turn 360 degrees and Sethi continue as the chief; it’s just a matter of time.

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