Najam Sethi appointed as the new PCB chairman

Prime Minister of Pakistan’s direct nominee, Najam Sethi has been elected as the board chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the next three years by the new Board of Governors (BoG). Sethi won the post unanimously as no other member of the 10-member BoG (Board of Governors) filed nomination papers for the post. The PCB constitution dictates that the chairman has to be elected from among those persons on the BoG. And thus, Sethi’s chance of occupying office was very likely as he was named on the PCB’s BoG just last month by the then Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif.

The 69-year-old journalist and a former caretaker chief minister of Punjab, Sethi has also been the driving force behind the success of Pakistan Super League (PKL). This would mark Sethi’s third tenure in charge after the long battle over the leadership of the PCB between Zaka Ashraf and Sethi, which ended in May 2014. He had earlier held the office as chairman from June 2013 to January 2014 and February 2014 to May 2014.

PCB confirms the appointment

Special meeting of PCB Board of Governors at NCA Lahore. The one point agenda of the meeting is the Election of Chairman PCB. pic.twitter.com/UG20oMHNqx

— PCB Official (@TheRealPCB) August 9, 2017

Former Pakistan cricketers show their support

Former captains Wasim Akram, Ramiz Raja and Rashid Latif had earlier shown their support backing Sethi’s appointment as the new chairman of PCB. The three had praised Sethi for being a key cog in organizing the PSL, adding that the nation has already started enjoying fruits of the country’s T20 competition.

Lauding Sethi, veteran Pakistani pacer Wasim Akram said, “I support him all the way and the main reason is PSL. Many people before him discussed the idea of PSL but no one was able to materialize the plans. Sethi not only made is possible, but organized two successful editions of Pakistan’s top class T20 league and also the final of the second edition in Lahore.”