Shaharyar Khan to step down as Pakistan Cricket Board chairman in August

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan on Thursday said that he would step down from his post in August after completing his three-year term, PTI reported.

“I have today conveyed to the members of the Board of Governors that I will step down on 18th August on completion of my term and I will not be contesting for another term as chairman or in any other capacity in the Board,” the 83-year old Shaharyar said.

Shaharyar, a former career diplomat, told the media in Lahore that he had already written to the patron in chief of the PCB, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif about his decision.

“I have taken this decision for personal and health reasons,” he said.

The former High Commissioner to India underwent a major heart surgery in London last year and they were rumours that he would step down.

But Shaharyar returned home and has carried on working as the head of the Cricket Board.

“I have written to the Prime Minister that I am ready to step down, resign at any time if he wants before completion of my term,” he said.

Shaharyar said if his resignation is accepted the complete constitutional procedure will be followed by the PCB to elect his successor.

Shaharyar also remained chairman of PCB between 2003 and 2006 and was instrumental in getting the Indian team to tour Pakistan in 2004 after a gap of nearly 14 years with the tour turning out to be a blockbuster success for cricket boards of both the countries.

Indications are that Najam Sethi, whom Shaharyar replaced as chairman in 2014 and who is now head of PCB’s executive committee, might again be elected as the new chairman of the Board in August or even before that.

PCB to file case against BCCI before ICC Disputes Resolution Committee

Meanwhile, the PCB chairman also announced that the PCB would file a compensation case against the BCCI before the ICC Disputes Resolution Committee for India’s refusal to play Pakistan in bilateral series.

Shaharyar said, after a meeting of the Board of Governors, that he had now been authorised to pursue the compensation case against India. He said a legal notice will be sent shortly to BCCI and after that the PCB will file its case before the ICC Disputes Resolution Committee.

“We have now decided to pursue the legal course and we will be sending a notice to the BCCI after which we will move forward to recoup our losses as we want to play cricket and we don’t believe in this matter of government and politics not allowing India not to play with us,” he said.

“We see no chance of a Pakistan and India bilateral series. Political relations have also been tense in the past but we still had cricket series. But with the Modi government (in India) we don’t think they (India) will play us in existing circumstances,” he said.

“India signed a proper MoU which is more off a contract between the two Boards to play six series out of which two have already been wasted while the third this year is also unlikely. As a result we have suffered heavy losses of revenues,” he added.

Khan said if the ICC committee fails to resolve the issue and help Pakistan recoup its losses because of India’s refusal to play Pakistan in bilateral series, then the Board would be filing a legal case in the courts against the BCCI.

“We are very hopeful as our case for compensation is very strong. But if we don’t win there (at the ICC Disputes Resolution Committee), we are now prepared to file a legal case against the BCCI in court,” Khan said.

“We will go to the courts if the ICC Disputes Resolution Committee can’t resolve our matter and help us recoup our losses,” he said.