Najam Sethi, who was appointed the chief of the 14-member committee to run Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) affairs till a chairman is elected, said on Thursday that the “government’s advice is a must” in cricket-related matters concerning India, Aaj News reported.
Answering a reporter's question during his press talk outside the PCB headquarter in Lahore, Sethi said it was “too early” for him to comment about “strategic issues” regarding India, sporting ties for which were strained further since the neighbour refused to visit Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023.
He said that the sports board “gets guidance” from the government on the final decisions on such matters.
He added that the matter will be discussed in committee meetings and expressed his lack of in-depth knowledge regarding the decisions taken before his appointment and the reasons behind them.
India has also recently turned down the visas of the Pakistan blind cricket team for the ongoing T20 World Cup on “political grounds”.
Management shake-up
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sacked former PCB chairman Ramiz Raja, appointed to the post in September last year, and a governing panel headed by Najam Sethi, who has twice served as chairman.
The committee also includes Shahid Afridi and Sana Mir, former captains of the men's and women's teams.
The government notice also said the current constitution of the board has been scrapped, and one dating from 2014 revived.
The committee will have 120 days to change the constitution and elect a new chairman.
"The cricket regime headed by Ramiz Raja @iramizraja is no more," Sethi tweeted Thursday.
"The 2014 PCB constitution stands restored. The Management Committee will work tirelessly to revive first-class cricket."
Imran came under fire for changing the PCB's constitution in 2019 — in particular for abolishing the role of government departments and private entities in first-class cricket, leaving hundreds unemployed.
In his tweet, Sethi said, "thousands of cricketers will be employed again".
"The famine in cricket will come to an end," he said.
Ramiz was not immediately available to comment, but sources said it was likely he would contest his removal through the courts.
The shake-up comes as New Zealand arrived Thursday for a tour that will include two Tests and three one-day internationals.