LAHORE: While the all-important three bodies of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are yet to be completed, Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ehsan Mani and Chief Executive Wasim Khan are currently on annual leave in London.

As of now, the positions of chairman of the national selection committee as well as national cricket committee lie vacant whereas, no office-bearer has been reported working in any of the six provincial cricket associations.

PCB has not bothered to appoint the head of national cricket committee with the same zeal which it showed in Wasim Khan’s possible extension case. The post has been lying vacant since Sep 6 when Iqbal Qasim stepped down after developing differences with the Board over domestic cricket affairs. PCB, however, was quick to ask Wasim Khan last month whether he was interested in another three-year term. His current term ends in February 2022.

If sources are to be believed, PCB have interviewed three men — Intikhab Alam, Saleem Yousuf, and retired Col Naushad Ali — for the job, with things looking bright for Saleem Yousuf at the moment.

Meanwhile, the head of selection committee remains undecided as yet. Misbah-ul-Haq had decided to quit the job in order to focus on the coaching role. After almost a month and a half, things remain unclear as to who would lead the selection committee. And while Mohammad Yousuf’s and Mohammad Akram’s names were doing the rounds on social media, it now appears that Mohammad Wasim will be entrusted with the chief selector’s role.

PCB also had to appoint the interim bodies of all six provincial cricket associations after the implementation of the new constitution on Aug 19, 2019, but despite 17 months having passed, nothing has been done in that regard with no provincial cricket association working as yet.In a recent talk with media in Karachi, Wasim assured that new chief selector and chairman cricket committee would be appointed shortly.

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2020