ISLAMABAD: A former member of the PCB’s board of governors filed a petition in Lahore High Court yesterday against the election of Zaka Ashraf as the new Pakistan Cricket Board chairman.
Mohammad Anwar said in his petition that, “unbridled powers are conferred upon the patron for the appointment of the chairman without following the open and transparent selection process.” The PCB’s 11-member board of governors earlier chose Ashraf after he was recommended by its four-member nomination committee.
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, who is also the patron of the PCB, had shortlisted Ashraf and Aftab Ahmad Khan — a former chairman of Lahore Stock Exchange — for the post. Both were interviewed by the nomination committee on Wednesday.
Zardari directly appointed Ashraf as chairman last year. However, a new election process was triggered when the PCB’s constitution was amended after the International Cricket Council set a June deadline requiring more independence for cricket boards.
Two members of the nomination committee — a retired judge and a government official — were directly appointed by Zardari, while the other two were from the board of governors.
Lahore High Court judge Abid Aziz Sheikh has asked the PCB to file their comments by June 18.
Meanwhile, Mushfiqur Rahim will quit as captain of Bangladesh after two Twenty20 internationals against Zimbabwe this weekend.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur made the announcement after Bangladesh lost the third one-day international by seven wickets yesterday, conceding a one-day series to Zimbabwe despite beating them by a record margin in the first match.
The Tigers began their tour of Zimbabwe as favorites after an encouraging trip to Sri Lanka, but lost the first Test by 335 runs before winning the second to earn a share of the series.
“This is probably my last tour as captain,” he told reporters after Wednesday’s defeat. “I will resign once we get back to Dhaka.
“The reason is the way we lost the games and at the same time I failed to perform. I think I failed to lead my team, so the two T20 matches will be my last as captain.” The 24-year-old only took over as Bangladesh captain in September 2011, after his predecessor Shakib Al Hasan was removed from the job.
Shakib’s dismissal also came in the wake of a tour to Zimbabwe, when the African side won the one-off Test that signaled their return to the five-day game and triumphed 3-2 in the one-day series that followed.
