‘Appoint Sethi as next PCB chairman’

Unanimously adopted resolution demands PSL chairman’s selection after Shaharyar’s term ends

KARACHI: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lahore and a unanimously adopted resolution demanded the appointment of Pakistan Super League (PSL) Chairman Najam Sethi as the next board chairman.

Current PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan’s three-year term ends in August and after he said he won’t be vying for the position again, Sethi was called on by everyone to take over after his undeterred resolve led to the successful organisation of the PSL.

In another resolution, once again unanimously adopted by the AGM, it was recommended that Sethi should be awarded Pride of Performance, one of the prestigious awards conferred by the government of Pakistan, for his hard work to make PSL a reality.

Tauseef Ahmed, one part of the Pakistan national selection committee, believes Sethi’s appointment will be a cherry on the top for country’s cricket. “He is an experienced person and PSL is a shining example of his management skills,” said Tauseef. “The way the PSL was organised, it helped Pakistan cricket a lot. If that wasn’t enough, he brought it to Pakistan [the final in Lahore]. A person who doesn’t shy away from taking up new challenges and is working hard for he is always the best man for any job.”

‘PCB, BCCI to meet on May 29’

With Pakistan-India bilateral series stuck in middle, Sethi said that PCB chairman is going to meet Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials to discuss the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which was signed between the two boards.

“Our team will meet them (BCCI) on May 29; chairman (Shahayar) will lead the team which will hold talks with them,” said Sethi during the AGM. “Our perspective is very clear [on the MoU]. They might deny that it is not a binding agreement. If that is the case, then we will involve International Cricket Council (ICC) in it. Then we will have another round of negotiations.”

Chairman Executive Committee PCB, @najamsethi addressing the AGM in Lahore pic.twitter.com/r3FqUdh5qa

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) May 25, 2017

Sethi continued that if the second round fails then the case will be presented in front of a tribunal. “If after all this, India still denies our claims then we will move the next stage where a tribunal will hear the case. Both boards will present their case in front of that tribunal. Whatever the tribunal will decide then, that will convert into a binding agreement.”

Head of the PCB’s Executive Committee said that a lot depends on the money that India owes to Pakistan due to not playing the bilateral series. “This is necessary. This is our right. It [the money] is our cricket’s lifeline. And we will not give up on our rights.”

Meanwhile, according to Times Now, the BCCI has once again written to the government of India asking for permission to play against Pakistan for a bilateral series as per the MOU.

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‘PSL’s popularity helped return of international cricket’

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan believes the credit of opening the doors of international cricket to Pakistan goes to the PSL and more importantly its chairman Sethi.

“Return of international cricket was assisted by the success of the PSL and Sethi should be credited for it,” said Shaharyar while addressing the AGM. “The success of PSL [and the final in Lahore] created a lot of noise inside and outside Pakistan. We are hoping that slowly and gradually the international cricket will come back to Pakistan.

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