New PCB chief Ehsan Mani wants to fight India in legal case

Published September 5, 2018
Newly appointed PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani addresses a press conference in Lahore. —AFP
Newly appointed PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani addresses a press conference in Lahore. —AFP

Pakistan's newly elected cricket chairman says he will continue to push his country's case at the ICC dispute committee over India pulling out of two bilateral series.

“Their (Indian) policy has been overall contradicting, because they are always ready to play in multinational tournaments like Asia Cup and World Cup but pull out on bilateral arrangements,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ehsan Mani said on Tuesday.

India cancelled series with Pakistan in 2014 and 2015, claiming political tensions. Pakistan was scheduled to stage both series, and claimed losses of nearly $70 million.

Since then, they have met in the 2015 Cricket World Cup and 2017 Champions Trophy. They are scheduled to meet this month in the Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

Their legal case before the ICC dispute panel begins on October 1.

“If it was at an earlier stage, I could have sat with the BCCI at the table to sort this out, but the process has started and gone too far to be pulled back,” Mani said.

Mani was elected unopposed as chairman for a three-year term on Tuesday in Lahore.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, the patron of the PCB, nominated Mani as a member of the board of governors last month when Najam Sethi resigned as board chairman.

Sethi's resignation was expected as he had a poor relationship with Khan, who was elected prime minister in July general elections.

According to the PCB constitution, the patron can nominate two members on the board.

Mani has considerable cricket administration experience. He previously represented Pakistan on the International Cricket Council from 1996-2002, and served as ICC president from 2003-06.

Mani said he would like to tweak the PCB constitution to diminish the power of the chairman.

“Everywhere in the world it doesn't happen like this, so we have to tweak the constitution,” he said. “The whole system should run only for cricketers, and the importance of the chairman and board members will be toned down.”

Opinion

Editorial

Token austerity
Updated 11 Mar, 2026

Token austerity

The ‘austerity’ measures are a ritualistic response to public anger rather than a sincere attempt to reform state spending.
Lebanon on fire
11 Mar, 2026

Lebanon on fire

WHILE the entire Gulf region has become an active warzone, repercussions of this conflict have spread to the...
Canine crisis
11 Mar, 2026

Canine crisis

KARACHI’S stray dog crisis requires urgent attention. Feral canines can cause serious and lasting physical and...
Iran’s new leader
Updated 10 Mar, 2026

Iran’s new leader

The position is the most powerful in Iran, bringing together clerical authority and political and ideological leadership.
National priorities
10 Mar, 2026

National priorities

EVEN as the country faces heightened risks of attacks from actual terrorists, an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi...
Silenced march
10 Mar, 2026

Silenced march

ON the eve of International Women’s Day, Islamabad Police detained dozens of Aurat March activists who had ...