New chairman, new challenges

Ehsan Mani on Tuesday became the 30^th individual to head the Pakistan Cricket Board in the capacity of either president or the chairman after receiving a unanimous vote in his favour from the Board of Governors, but what seems like a bed of roses may turn out to be a garden of thorns for the 73-year-old.

Cricket and cricketers enjoy the honours and privileges which the national sport of the country, hockey, is deprived of, but accompanied with all the perks are added pressure and extra responsibility. Mani will face both when he signs the teamsheet which will have the name of the 16 cricketers who are going to play in the Asia Cup, against countries like India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

Sethi has left a legacy behind him as he jump-started the Pakistan Super League plans which were rotting in files inside the cricket board’s cupboards, while the T20 side became the number one team in his era. Pakistan also won the Champions Trophy during the 70-year-old’s reign, which brought promises of the 2019 World Cup as well.

Now it is Mani’s time to take important decision in the PCB, decisions which will eventually have an impact on the overall performance of the Pakistan cricket team in all three formats. Will he be able to do what is best for cricket is a question which will be answered later, but what he does now, is of perennial importance. He has to represent the PCB at the ICC regarding the case against India, he has to fulfil Prime Minister Imran Khan’s wish of a regional-teams-only domestic circuit, and most importantly he has to inculcate austerity in the PCB’s working, another one of Khan’s dreams. Mani has a tough road ahead as Sethi has left very big boots to fill.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2018.

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