LAHORE: Ehsan Mani on Wednesday said his innings as Pakistan Cricket Board chairman actually starts now as a number of significant decisions will be taken within a few weeks time in the backdrop of national team’s below-par performance in the ICC World Cup.

“My innings as PCB chairman, in real terms, is going to start now as [some] important decisions regarding new team management, national selection committee and others are set to be taken within a few weeks time,” Mani said while talking exclusively to Dawn on Wednesday.

“I did not make any change in the team management and also retained Sarfraz Ahmed as captain because the World Cup was just a few months away when I took charge as PCB chairman,” he added.

When asked how much time he would take to complete changes in the cricket set-up, Mani said he was not in a hurry citing the decisions to be taken were of important nature.

“All the decisions will be taken while keeping in view Pakistan team’s activities during the next four years. We will go through a proper process before making any changes,” the PCB chief maintained.

Pakistan had a poor finish to their World Cup campaign in England where Sarfraz and his men failed to qualify for the semi-finals as New Zealand, having equal number of points (11 each) in league stage, upstaged the green-shirts on net run-rate. On Wednesday, New Zealand beat India by 18 runs in a close semi-final at Manchester.

To a question, Mani said his recent meeting with head coach Mickey Arthur in London was a routine interaction.

Asked if Arthur offered to extend his services as Pakistan head coach, Mani responded in affirmative but added that any decision in this regard would be made later. “Yes, Arthur showed his interest [to carry on his job] but I can’t say any word on this subject unless the PCB cricket committee, which is going to start assessing the performance of the team management and others in a few days, completes its report.”

While revealing that Sarfraz was also interested in captaincy, Mani said he would not say anything further on it. “It will be unfair to comment on it before the completion of the cricket committee’s recommendations,” he said.

Asked whether the PCB would have limited options in appointing the next captain if the cricket committee recommendations went against Sarfraz, Mani again avoided commenting on it.

To a question on Pakistan’s show in the World Cup, Mani said though there were a number of ifs and buts the cricket committee was the right forum to analyse it technically.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2019