Reports: Ramiz Raja likely to replace Ehsan Mani as PCB chief

Pakistan’s former cricketer and now commentator Ramiz Raja has emerged as the frontrunner for the taking over the reins from Ehsan Mani as Pakistan Cricket Board’s chief, whose three-year term as the Pakistan Cricket Board’s chief is ending on September 18, 2021.

Media reports suggest that not being satisfied with Mani’s performance is the primary cause behind giving him a longer run at the helm. A final decision, however, will be taken by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is also the patron in chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), in due course.

A report on Pakobrserver.net stated that the PCB will recommend two names to the PCB’s governing board for the coveted post in the next few days. Ehsan Mani and Asad Ali Khan are the representatives of the prime minister in the PCB governing board. Meanwhile, Mani’s likely successor Raja, former Pakistan captain who was also a part of the World Cup-winning group of 1992, meets the criteria for the top post.

The now 59-year-old represented Pakistan in 57 Tests and 198 ODIs, scoring 2833 and 5841 runs, respectively, and was a key member of the side in the 80s and early 90s, including the World Cups of 1987 and 1992. The ’92 World Cup triumph remains Pakistan’s only 50-over World Cup to date.

Ehsan Mani previously rejected reports regarding his resignation

Mani, who has represented the PCB in the ICC from 1989 to 1996, before serving as a member of the advisory committee during the World Cups of 1996 and 1999, had rubbished the reports of submitting his resignation as the PCB chief to PM Imran Khan earlier this year.

Replying to a query related to former Test wicketkeeper Rashid Latif’s tweet about his resignation’s submission with the prime minister, Mani had replied: “The news is made up by Rashid Latif.” Later even the PCB Director Media Sami Burni clarified that there was no degree of truth in such news.

He was nominated by Imran Khan as the PCB Chairman in August 2018, before he was elected unopposed for the post by the PCB’s Board of Governors for a period of three years, replacing Najam Sethi.