Reports: Najam Sethi to return as PCB chairman, to replace Ramiz Raja

Former Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Najam Sethi is likely to return to his role after the ongoing changes in the Pakistan parliament. Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan was recently ousted as the Prime Minister through a vote of a no-confidence motion. Thus, things are likely to be changed now as a new political party will be in power.

As per a report by Cricket Pakistan, it is being said that Sethi might return to his role, replacing Ramiz Raja as the PCB Chair as sources claim he could resign very soon. The reports suggest that Sethi has close connections with the opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif, the probable candidate to replace Imran as Pakistan’s PM. Sethi has shown interest to take over the PCB again and he is in talks with the concerned parties.

Sethi was unanimously elected as PCB’s chairman in August 2017, succeeding Shaharyar Khan who had to leave his duties due to health reasons. Under Shaharyar, Sethi led the executive committee at the PCB. Sethi had stepped down as the PCB Chair when Imran Khan was elected as the Prime Minister, and handed over the responsibilities to the former ICC President Ehsan Mani.

Sethi wishes to complete what he had left behind, and help the Pakistan Super League build into a much bigger brand than it is now. It is being said that many of the current officials will not be able to reside to their duties, and Sethi will bring in members close to him to the PCB.

Under Imran Khan’s leadership, the PCB witnessed plenty of changes in the system, and it is expected that with a new government forming, the system will be tweaked. There were limits put on domestic cricket, and the divisions were also eradicated under Imran’s reign. But now, things will take a turn as a whole new committee will be formed for the functioning of the country as well as the cricket board.

Under the previous regime, the domestic players and officials were asked to look out for themselves and were driven away from the game. Because of this, the Pakistan domestic cricket has not seen much development. Pakistan’s schedule for the season was released on April 9, and with new faces settling in, there might be many ups and downs in Pakistan Cricket in the upcoming few months.