PCB CEO Wasim Khan steps down from his role with immediate effect

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Wasim Khan has stepped down from the role on Wednesday (29 September). The CEO handed his resignation letter to the new PCB chairman Ramiz Raja. If certain reports are to be believed, then Khan was not happy with how his decision-making and powers were curtailed ever since Raja took over from Ehsan Mani as the chairman of the team.

Khan’s tenure was set to expire in February 2022 and also the management were considering offering him an extension after the tenure. But those plans have been put to rest for time being. Besides if certain reports were to be believed then Khan’s role was under scrutiny ever since Pakistan’s squad announcement was made for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup.

With few experienced players like Shoaib Malik and Sarfaraz Ahmed not included, the heat was on Khan. Also, a few of the experts’ scathing remarks against him didn’t help his cause. “Pakistan Cricket Board today confirmed Wasim Khan has tendered his resignation as Chief Executive. As is the process, the BoG will meet later today to consider the matter,” the PCB confirmed in a brief statement on Wednesday.

Although PCB chairman Raja confirmed that skipper Babar Azam is happy with the squad, the reports refuse to die down. With ICC giving the team October 10 as the deadline to alter or tweak the squad it remains to be seen what Pakistan does before the showpiece event gets underway on October 17 in Oman and UAE.

Tania Mallick replaces Urooj Mumtaz as PCB women’s head

Wasim Khan’s resignation comes just after the PCB announced Tania Mallick as the new head of women’s cricket. Mallick’s appointment was confirmed on Tuesday (28 September). She will take over from Urooj Mumtaz, who wished to step away from the additional responsibilities in May. But Mumtaz will remain active in the selection matters of the team.

Pakistan women have shown some tremendous improvement in the past two years or so with young players Fatima Sana, Syeeda Aroob Shah, and Diana Baig doing well during the time. Also, the team was ably led by Javeria Khan in the absence of first-choice skipper Bismah Maroof. Pakistan women’s team will now play Qualifiers of ICC Cricket World Cup 2022.