Ramiz Raja’s fate

Ramiz’s vision of transparency, knowledge of cricket and international exposure, makes him perfect for this job

With Imran Khan ousted following a no-confidence vote and Shehbaz Sharif elected as the new Prime Minister, the fate of PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja hangs in the balance. It is still uncertain if the newly elected PM will let the former cricketer, who was appointed by Imran Khan in September last, continue with his duties or resort back to their trusted ex-chairman Najam Sethi. While Ramiz is said to have decided not to resign at the moment, he will make a final decision based on the new PM’s treatment towards him in the near future.

It is rather ironic how quickly the tables have turned and both former cricketing legends now find themselves in a rather precarious situation — similar to what their oppositions were facing a few years ago. Progress had been witnessed during the tenure of former PCB officials who had successfully introduced the PSL, convinced international teams to tour Pakistan and revamped the domestic cricket structure by replacing departmental cricket with one based on regions. However, the institution itself remained marred with nepotism, mismanagement and internal rivalries, which had adversely affected the team’s selection process.

Ramiz’s performance on the other hand has been an improvement by leaps and bounds. After a setback with New Zealand, the PCB has successfully hosted the Australian cricket team, with more international sides lined up for the future. The standard of PSL has significantly been raised as profits jumped to 71% with franchises earning around Rs900 million — the most in the league’s history. The recent announcement of introducing the Pakistan Junior League — a platform for providing contracts and exposure to U-19 players — shows his strong commitment to developing grassroots cricket and scouting young talents.

But most importantly, Ramiz’s vision of upholding transparency, coupled with his knowledge of cricket and his international exposure, makes him the perfect man for this job. During his time at the helm, he has proved to be a capable and dedicated leader of an institution that is also a source of revenue and foreign exchange for the country. Instead of sticking to political appointments, it would be in the best interest of the sport, and the incumbent government too, to retain and support him.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 17^th, 2022.

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