LAHORE: The change of guard at the Pakistan Cricket Board began on Thursday when members of the PCB general body unanimously passed a resolution supporting Najam Sethi — incumbent chief of the executive committee — as the next chairman in place of chief Shaharyar Khan whose term is ending in August.

Though it is the right of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to appoint PCB chairman, it is the first time that such a resolution has been passed by the general body, which has no effective role in running the system of the Board.

The members of PCB general body meet once in a year, usually to complete a formality. However, the resolution passed by the general body on Thursday carries some standing since the presidents of all 16 cricketing regions and district bodies of the country are part of the body.

Shaharyar’s three-year term ends on Aug 18

In the other two resolutions, the general body also appreciated the services of Shaharyar, who has already decided to not continue his office after his three-year tenure ends on Aug 18 this year.

“The first [resolution] was the appreciation of PCB chairman Mr Shaharyar Khan’s services for Pakistan cricket. The members gave a standing ovation to the chairman who was presiding over the meeting for the last time as his three-year term ends in August this year,” read the resolution.

“The second resolution [at the general body meeting] was adopted for a Pride of Performance award for Mr Najam Sethi for his significant contribution to Pakistan cricket especially staging of Pakistan Super League final in Lahore [in March this year].

“The third and last resolution that was unanimously approved was adopted to elect Mr Sethi as the new PCB chairman once Mr Shaharyar’s term ends in August,” the resolution stated.

Speaking to the general body for the last time as chairman, Shaharyar reckoned Pakistan cricket was progressing on the right track and added that more academies would be established across the country. “Youngsters with the help of academies will be groomed in a better way to compete in international cricket,” he stated.

Commenting on the subject of revival of bilateral series with India, Shaharyar said negotiations on the legal notice sent by the PCB to the BCCI for not honouring the commitment it had made in an MoU to play bilateral series against Pakistan were on, adding top officials of the two cricket boards within the next couple of days were meeting in Dubai to sort the matter.

Expressing his views on international cricket resumption in Pakistan, Shaharyar said the PCB was trying its best to restore the game in Pakistan, which has not witnessed top-level international cricket action since the March 2009 terror attack on visiting Sri Lankan team in Lahore.

Zimbabwe is the only Test-playing nation whose limited-overs team toured Pakistan for a short series in 2015.

The ‘Big Three’ formula in the International Cricket Council (ICC), the PCB chief hoped, would end forever after new constitution of the world governing body was approved in June this year.

Meanwhile, lauding the services rendered by Shaharyar, Sethi said he had learnt a lot from the former’s experience.

Noting that the PSL had become a successful trademark of Pakistan cricket, Sethi revealed as many as 30 bidders were interested in buying the sixth PSL team which would be inducted in the 2018 season.

“Whereas there were only six buyers who were bidding for the five teams back in 2016,” he recalled.

The PCB press release quoted Sethi as saying, “The PSL management is aiming to hold eight matches of Pakistan Super League’s third edition in Pakistan [four each in Lahore and Karachi].”

On domestic cricket, Sethi said the budget for regional bodies would be increased significantly insisting it was essential to invest in the grassroots. “The regions will be asked to award central contract to their respective top cricketers,” informed Sethi.

Under the leadership of Shaharyar, Sethi said, the PCB and the BCCI were going to begin negotiations on bilateral series resumption in Dubai on May 29. If both the cricket boards failed to reach consensus, the ICC would be involved to give a final verdict, Sethi said.

Disclosing that the PCB had invested approximately Rs150 million for organising club and school tournaments this year, Sethi said school cricket was purely Shaharyar’s idea that would establish a medium to produce talented and educated cricketers in the country.

Meanwhile, the PCB press release also stated, “Having met the stringent PCB criteria, in accordance with constitution’s Article 20, the AGM also recommended affiliation and playing rights to Pakpattan and Chaggi Districts.”

The PCB changed its programme of honouring recently-retired Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq and two emerging international youngsters — Shadab Khan and Hasan Ali — at Thursday’s AGM, deferring the programme to honour Misbah alongside two other recently-retired veterans — Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi — with the two youngsters mentioned above.

However, following persons, who performed impressively in the 2016-17 domestic season were picked for annual awards during the meeting.

Best player of the year (blind): Badar Munir (Rs300,000 cash prize)

Best player of the year (deaf and dumb): Zaka Ahmed (Rs300,000)

Best player of the year (disable): Maj Hasnain Alam (Rs300,000)

Best women player of the year: Asmavia Iqbal (Rs300,000)

Outstanding player of 2016-17: Mohammad Abbas (Rs300,000);

Best umpire of the year: Shozab Raza prize (Rs200,000 cash prize)

Best match referee of the year: Mohammad Anees (Rs200,000)

Best scorer of the year: Najamus Saeed (Rs100,000)

Best curator of the year: Niamat Ali (Rs100,000)

Best coach of 2016-17: Azam Khan (Rs100, 000).

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2017