Najam Sethi Withdraws from PCB Chairman Race; Who Will Emerge as the Frontrunner?

Najam Sethi, the interim president of the Pakistan Cricket Board, has withdrawn from the race for the next PCB head. On Tuesday (June 20), Sethi stated that he will not pursue a permanent position in the PCB.

Sethi stated that he did not want to be a “bone of contention” between the country’s main two leaders, Pakistan Peoples Party President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Sethi tweeted late at night, “Salaam everyone! I don’t want to be a bone of contention between Asif Zardari and Shehbaz Sharif. Such instability and uncertainty is not good for PCB. Under the circumstances, I am not a candidate for the chairmanship of PCB. Good luck to all stakeholders.”

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Who will serve as the next PCB chairman?

Sethi’s late-night declaration has cleared the door for Zaka Ashraf to retake the helm of the PCB. The news could have an impact on the next Asia Cup and the ICC World Cup.

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In recent times, the PCB has been in a tizzy since both parties in the ruling coalition government at the capital, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party, wanted their names for head of the board.

While Najam Sethi was appointed to lead the cricket management committee, oversee PCB matters, organise new elections, and reinstate the 2014 constitution, the PPP has been advocating for Ashraf. Considering that Sharif had stated Sethi will continue, they claimed it would be a conflict of interest if he ran in the elections.

In fact, PML N member Sharif recently met with Sethi twice, giving the impression that Zaka wouldn’t be put forward by the Premier for the chairman’s elections. Ironically, Sethi and Zaka had also engaged in a legal struggle for the hot seat in 2013–2014 when both were supported by their respective parties, with Sethi ultimately triumphing.

Also Read: ‘Good luck’: Najam Sethi pulls out of PCB chairmanship race (cricfiles.com)

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