Cricket News

‘R.I.P Pakistan Cricket’ – Pakistan Fans express their anger as Najam Sethi replaces Ramiz Raja as PCB chief

Ramiz Raja was removed after Pakistan's 3-0 whitewash against England at home.
Ramiz Raja, Najam Sethi
Ramiz Raja, Najam Sethi (Source: Twitter)

Ramiz Raja has been removed as the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) by the country’s government, which has appointed a 14-member committee, headed by Najam Sethi, to run the affairs of the game for the next four months. The cricket board elections are to be held within the next four months.

The Pakistan government, through a notification late on Wednesday, removed Raja following the team’s 3-0 whitewash by England in the home Test series. The notification, issued by Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, has to be approved by the federal cabinet, which is just a formality.

The developments on Wednesday confirmed speculation that Sharif, who is the patron-in-chief of the PCB, had decided to appoint Sethi as the new chairman of the country’s cricket body.

Reacting to the development, Sethi on Wednesday took to Twitter and wrote, “The cricket regime headed by Ramiz Raja @iramizraja is no more. The 2014 PCB constitution stands restored. The Management Committee will work tirelessly to revive first class cricket. Thousands of cricketers will be employed again. The famine in cricket will come to an end.”

“Thank you all cricket enthusiasts for welcoming change in PCB affairs. Please wish our team good luck going forward. There is a lot of work to be done and some undone!” he added.

Najam Sethi will head the management committee that includes Shahid Afridi

Ramiz Raja served as PCB chairman for 15 months after he was appointed by former premier Imran Khan to head the board in September 2021.

Sethi was the chairman and CEO of the PCB between 2013-2018 and resigned soon after Imran and his party won the 2018 general elections. There was, however, no official word from the PCB or Raja on the latest developments days before the Test series against New Zealand, beginning in Karachi on December 26.

The notification states that the PM has “reviewed” the 2014 constitution of the PCB and abolished the existing constitution made in 2019. As per the notification, Sethi will head the management committee that includes former Pakistan players Shahid Afridi, Haroon Rasheed, Shafqat Rana, and former women’s team captain Sana Mir.

Meanwhile, Twitter was abuzz with reactions on Sethi’s appointment as PCB Chief. Here are some of the Tweets:

https://twitter.com/Insafia46047921/status/1605747731225489408?s=20&t=3gpGBAeznypnqCHJnfMJ2w

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