The Score Line had forewarned that the “PCB doesn’t need a chartered accountant but cricket administrator”. That warning fell on deaf ears. Since his appointment/selection in August this year Ehsan Mani, the chartered accountancy famed chairman of the PCB has not contributed anything noteworthy but introduced a new but novel tradition by uploading, on the Board’s website, allowances allegedly taken by his predecessor, surprised us with his shocking ignorance about Justice Qayyum’s report and included a tainted former Test cricketer in the Cricket Committee.
Mani had the realization, prior to his appointment, that running Pakistan cricket was an onerous task which would not allow him to look after his personal business interests and other related commitments.
In his maiden press conference, he had made it public that he would bring a chief executive to run the Board affairs. He had also said to amend the PCB constitution to create the new job.
The appointment of British born Wasim Khan, as managing director, has given Mani much-desired relief and he would now have enough time to concentrate on his other non-cricketing engagements. Samiul Hassan’s appointment was due after his predecessor reverted to his mother department.
But Wasim’s appointment without the amendment in the constitution is mind-boggling. Till today we have not officially heard from the PCB that if an amendment has been made in the Board’s constitution.
According to the PCB constitution, only the Federal Government is empowered to amend it, a shameless undemocratic clause incorporated to satisfy the ego of disqualified and disgraceful former prime minister.
We still don’t know if the incumbent prime minister who happily inherited any ills from his predecessor would continue with this undemocratic act or give powers to the real stakeholders of Pakistan cricket to draft and amend the constitution of the PCB. Nowhere, in the cricket world, governments enjoy such powers. Pakistan is the only unique country!
Though Mani claims that the appointment of Wasim Khan will not threaten the position of incumbent Chief Operating Officer (COO) Subhan Ahmed yet the things are not that simple as Mani is trying to portrait. What is the job of a COO in the PCB? The COO assists the chairman for (his) effective performance both at home and in the ICC meetings where important issues are debated and decided. He also performs such functions as may be determined by the Board of Governors or as the Chairman may assign or delegate to him. And he reports the chairman.
Now through media reports, we have learned that Wasim has shown his enthusiasm to bring back international cricket in Pakistan. He wanted to speak with other boards to see how he could help get regular international cricket back to Pakistan. That means British born Khan would attend ICC meetings and use his acumen, personal links, and negotiation skill to convince other Boards to send their teams to play in Pakistan. Naturally, the cricket lovers are anxious to ask that what inept and double-promoted Sifarishi Subhan contributed in his last eight years as COO? It was Subhan’s job to negotiate with other cricket boards and convince them to send their teams to Pakistan. But he failed miserably and only enjoyed allowances from the ICC and the PCB on foreign tours.
Now Wasim Khan has been brought whom we would see lobbying vigorously within the ICC for the resumption of international cricket in Pakistan. Khan would start from where this parasite Subhan failed. We wish him the best of luck! After Khan taking over the seat of co-captain of the PCB’s rudderless ship what job is left for Subhan in the Board. Will he be reverted to his old job – an office assistant and face FIA investigation whose report is still awaiting its forensic test in Islamabad?