Zaka Ashraf resigns as PCB’s Interim Management Committee head

F.P. Report

LAHORE: Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s Interim Management Committee (IMC) Zaka Ashraf on Friday tendered his resignation from the position, two weeks before the expiry of the IMC’s tenure that he had headed.

The resignation comes three days after the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordi­nation (IPC) had disallowed Ashraf from holding an IMC meeting wherein he was supposed to form the Board of Governors (BoGs), which is the first step to hold the elections of PCB chairman for a three-year term.

Ashraf made the announcement during the fourth meeting of the PCB’s IMC at Lahore’s National Cricket Academy today.

“Zaka Ashraf announced that he has decided to tender his resignation as chairman and member of the MC to the caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar,” said a statement from the PCB.

It added that Ashraf thanked the premier “for the confidence and trust reposed by him and extended his best wishes and prayers for the betterment of Pakistan and Pakistan cricket”.

In the meeting, Ashraf highlighted the “milestones” accomplished during his tenure, including a “significant increase” in PCB contributions from the International Cricket Council, the visit of the Board of Cricket Control of India to Pakistan, the home team securing the number one spot in ICC one-day international rankings, Pakistan hosting the Asia Cup after 15 years and reaching an accord with Cricket Australia on player development, among other accomplishments.

The members were briefed on the PCB affairs and financial matters, the statement added.

Ashraf also thanked members of the MC, the PCB management and the staff for their support during his tenure.

Meanwhile, IPC Minister Fawad Hasan Fawad told Dawn.com that Ashraf’s resignation was sent to PM Kakar, the PCB patron-in-chief.

The minister said as per instructions from the government, his ministry had “kept watch” over the PCB’s affairs — permitting affairs such as matters about the Pakistan Super League schedule and enquiring about activities related to other than the board’s “day-to-day affairs”.

On Dec 20, 2022, Ramiz Raja was the PCB chairman. He was removed by then prime minister and PCB patron Shehbaz Sharif, who had named an 11-member IMC headed by Najam Sethi, which worked till June 20, 2023.

Subsequently, another interim committee, a 10-member body, was formed on July 5, 2023 with Ashraf — a Pakistan People’s Party leader — as its chairman.

In November, the IPC ministry had given a three-month extension to the Ashraf-led body.

Courtesy: dawn news