Najam Sethi steps down, Ehsan Mani tipped to take over as PCB chief

Sethi formally submitted his resignation to Imran Khan, the legendary Pakistani cricketer who was recently sworn-in as the country’s new Prime Minister, on Monday, 20 August.

Sharing the resignation letter on Twitter, Sethi added: “I was waiting for the new Prime Minister to take oath before submitting my resignation as PCB Chairman, which I have done today. I wish PCB all the best and hope our cricket team goes from strength to strength. Eid Mubarak. Pakistan Zindabad.”

Khan, captain of the Pakistan team that won the ICC Cricket World Cup 1992 and one of the greatest all-rounders in the history of the game, announced that he had nominated Mani to replace Sethi in the PCB’s Board of Governors, which is expected to meet shortly to elect its Chairman for a three-year period.

He is tipped to win the election for PCB Chairman because of his past administrative experience and because he is the Prime Minister’s nominee to the Board of Governors.

Mani, a chartered accountant by profession, was elected President of the ICC in 2003 after having represented the PCB at the ICC from 1989 to 1996.

He has also served as the ICC’s Finance and Marketing Committee Chairman and a played a key role in the organisation of the ICC Cricket World Cup 1996 in the subcontinent.

It was during his tenure that ICC moved its head office from London to the UAE and that women’s cricket was integrated with the men’s game.

He also oversaw ICC entering into a partnership with the United Nations to promote awareness of AIDs and HIV through cricket, China becoming a member of the ICC, the raising of over 17 million USD for emergency relief following the Asian Tsunami and the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan, and the ICC Global Cricket Academy being set up in Dubai.

Sethi, a journalist and publisher, first served as PCB Chairman in 2013, and after swapping the position with Zaka Ashraf, had a continuous stint in the position from 2017.

He is credited for helping bring top level cricket back to Pakistan. These include international teams – one an ICC World XI – visiting Pakistan for short limited-overs series in recent years, and also the hosting of Pakistan Super League matches in the country.