PM Imran Khan appoints former teammate Ramiz Raja new Pakistan Cricket Board chairman

This is Ramiz Raja’s second stint with the PCB. He had served as the Board’s chief executive from 2003 to 2004.

Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja (left) after being appointed new PCB chairman. (Photo: PCB)

Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja was on Monday (September 13) unanimously elected as the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for a three-year term, succeeding Ehsan Mani who stepped down from the post last month. Raja was nominated for the position by Prime Minister and former teammate Imran Khan, who is also the patron-in-chief of the Board.

This is Raja’s second stint with the PCB. He had served as the Board’s chief executive from 2003 to 2004. The special meeting was presided by PCB election commissioner, Justice (retd) Sheikh Azmat Saeed at the National High Performance Centre.

The 59-year-old commentator, who was part of Pakistan’s triumphant campaign in the 1992 World Cup, has become the fourth international cricketer to head the PCB after Abdul Hafeez Kardar (1972-1977), Javed Burki (1994-1995) and Ijaz Butt (2008-2011).

Raja, who played more than 250 international matches for Pakistan from 1984 to 1997 and scored 8,674 runs, replaces the country’s veteran cricket administrator Mani. Raja said one of his biggest aims is to bring back the glory days of the Pakistan men’s team that was once a force to reckon with in the international arena.

Addressing the Board of Governors (BoG) following his election, Raja said: “I am thankful to all of you for electing me as the PCB chairman and look forward to working with you to ensure Pakistan cricket continues to thrive and grow stronger, both on and off-the-field.”

“One of my key focuses will be to help introduce in the Pakistan men’s cricket team the same culture, mind-set, attitude and approach that once made Pakistan one of the most feared cricket playing nations.

“As an organisation, we all need to get behind the national team and provide them the desired assistance and support so that they can produce that brand of cricket, which the fans also expect from them each time they step on to the field of play.”

In 2003-04, he had also served as the CEO of the Board under the chairmanship of Shahryar Khan. The former opener added, “Obviously, as a former cricketer, my other priority will be to look into the welfare of our past and present cricketers.

“The game has and will always be about the cricketers and, as such, they deserve more recognition and respect from their parent institution.”