The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday confirmed the appointment of Wasim Khan as its managing director.

Wasim Khan, an MBA from Warwick Business School, is a former professional cricketer with a wealth of experience in cricket and cricket management, the PCB spokesperson said.

The 47-year-old cricketer has played county cricket in England from 1995 to 2001, during which he represented Warwickshire, Sussex and Derbyshire. He also has playing experience in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. In a 58-match first-class career, Wasim scored 2,835 runs with five centuries and 17 half-centuries, with a highest score of 181.

He was awarded MBE in 2013 and two years later, he was appointed as the Chief Executive of the Leicestershire County Cricket Club where he has enjoyed an extremely successful stint. In 2005, he was recruited by Lord Mervyn King, former Governor of the Bank of England, to lead a 50million community development project that operated in 11,000 state schools and engaged 2.5 million children across England and Wales.

Wasim's autobiography Brim Full of Passion was voted as the Wisden Book of the Year 2006.

Commenting on his appointment, Wasim said he was delighted to be offered the position of managing director of PCB, “a role which I have accepted as a challenge”.

“I have my roots in Pakistan, a country which is full of talent. I will be relocating to Pakistan with my family who are as excited as I am,” he said.

PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani welcomed his appointment, saying Wasim brings with him “fresh ideas and knowledge of cricket, and he will receive the support of the Board and the management of PCB”.

“We now have an experienced leader of the management team who will oversee the implementation of the board decisions. His first task would be to oversee the reforms of domestic cricket structure,” the PCB chairman said.

Wasim Khan is expected to start his time at the PCB around early February 2019.