Zaka Ashraf-led Pakistan Cricket Board managing committee gets 3-month extension

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Zaka Ashraf will continue to serve as the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after receiving a three-month extension from the managing committee. The extension was confirmed by the country’s ministry of inter-provincial coordination committee. Ashraf’s initial four-month term expired over the weekend, but the interim PCB management now has the opportunity to continue its administration.

The possibility of an extension for the Ashraf-led administration was hinted by Pakistan’s caretaker Premier, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, who is also the patron of the PCB. Kakar mentioned in a recent television interview that a decision regarding the administration would be made after the ongoing World Cup tournament. Kakar stated, “At this time, you know there is a tournament (World Cup) going on. We’ll look after this tournament… at this moment, I don’t think we are going to make a big decision. The reason for that is that at times you have to work according to the doctrine of necessity. Once we are past the World Cup, then we’ll see.”

In addition to heading the PCB, Ashraf has been assigned the task of conducting the elections for the PCB chairman and finalizing the Board of Governors of the cricket board. However, the ministry has limited Ashraf’s powers by stating that the management committee can only handle day-to-day affairs and cannot make any policy decisions or high-level appointments.

Ashraf’s appointment as head of the PCB management committee in July was met with criticism. Two committee members, Zulfiqar Malik and Mustafa Ramday, accused Ashraf of delaying the chairman elections and making unauthorized appointments at the PCB. Furthermore, Ashraf faced backlash when the PCB issued a controversial statement during the World Cup, blaming captain Babar Azam and chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq for Pakistan’s poor performances in the earlier league games. A leaked WhatsApp conversation between Babar and a top PCB official, which was shared on a local TV channel, suggested that Ashraf instructed the conversation to be aired.

Last Monday, Inzamam resigned as chief selector over allegations of a conflict of interest after reports emerged in local media about his stakes in a company registered in England. One of the other directors of this U.K.-based company is from an agency that represents leading Pakistan cricketers such as Babar, Shaheen Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan. The matter is currently being investigated by a committee formed by the PCB.

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