LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday relieved from duty former Test cricketer and general manager domestic cricket operations Shafiq Ahmed five days before his contract was due to expire.

Shafiq, 70, played six Tests and three ODIs from 1974 to 1980 before joining the PCB in April 2007. Although the PCB hailed Shafiq’s contribution, relieving him before his contract was to expire hits at differences between him and the new setup of the PCB under Ehsan Mani who became chairman of the board in September last year.

Shafiq is the first of many who the PCB could possibly let go. “As part of the change process underway at the PCB, a number of decisions have already been implemented,” said the PCB news release. “These further changes continue to form part of our forward planning.”

Earlier, the PCB also suspended contracts of regional coaches Sabeh Azhar (Rawalpindi) and Taimour Khan (Islamabad), handing over the additional in-charge to the assistant coaches of the respective regions, while also reli­eving another regional coach Ayaz Akbar Yousufzai (Fata).

“Shafiq has been one of the most loyal and committed servants of the game, previously as a cricketer and more recently as an administrator,” said PCB managing director Wasim Ahmed. “He has made valuable contributions for which we all are grateful to him.”

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2019