PCB runs into fresh trouble as Zaka Ashraf quits as interim head alleging lack of powers

Pakistan cricket descended into fresh chaos on Friday as cricket board PCB chief Zaka Ashraf resigned citing lack of powers to administer the board. Ashraf’s resignation means a fourth change will be required at top of PCB in 13 months. Ashraf took charge of PCB in June last year, replacing Najam Sethi who himself took charge from a ten-man management committee which was heading the PCB after Ramiz Raja was sacked in December 2022.

“We can’t work with our hands tied, so I am resigning from the post,” Ashraf told local media after his resignation which came after a committee meeting. “I wanted to do work for the betterment of cricket in Pakistan.”

It has been reported that Ashraf was asked only to manage the day-to-day affairs of PCB by the Inter-Provincial Coordination Committee — which controls sports in Pakistan.

This is not the first time a PCB head has quit due to political issues. PCB has a history of chair quitting due to political backing. In Pakistan, the PCB chief is appointed by the ruling government as the incumbent prime minister is the patron of the PCB.

The PCB has a 10-member board of governors in which two members are nominated by the Prime Minister. The chairman is selected from this 10-mmember board for a term of three years.

The job to select the next chairman of the committee now falls on caretaker prime minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar.

Ashraf’s resignation for now brings an end to his turbulent tenure which saw Pakistan failing to qualify for 2023 ODI World Cup semi-finals, suffered 3-0 Test series defeat in Australia and the team is currently 0-4 down in five-match T20I series in New Zealand.

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