PM Imran nominates Ehsan Mani as PCB chairman after Sethi resignation

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday nominated Ehsan Mani as the new chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board, following the resignation of Najam Sethi from the post.

"I have appointed Ehsan Mani as Chairman PCB. He brings vast and valuable experience to the job. He represented PCB in the ICC; was Treasurer ICC for 3 yrs and then headed the ICC for another 3 yrs," the prime minister announced in a message on Twitter.

"We will follow the set procedure which entails my nominating him on the PCB Board of Governors. He may then contest elections for the position of Chairman PCB," the prime minister said in another tweet shortly afterwards. 

Speaking to Geo News after his nomination, Mani said that PM Imran Khan shares his vision for the betterment of Pakistan cricket. 

"I want to improve Pakistan cricket on the grassroots level. We will enhance the domestic structure as according to PM Imran's vision," he said. "PM wants Pakistan cricket top on the international level."

Mani said that cricket in the country can be improved by implementation on a comprehensive and concrete plan. 

Who is Ehsan Mani?

Mani, born in Rawalpindi, became ICC President in June 2003. He was nominated for the position by the PCB, whom he represented at the ICC from 1989 until 1996.

In 1996 he was elected by all countries to the position of Chairman of the ICC Finance and Marketing Committee, a position he held until the Committee was dissolved in June 2002 when he took over as Vice-President of the ICC Executive Board.

Mani has served on a number of ICC Committees, including the Chairman's Advisory Committee, set up to advise Lord Cowdrey and Sir Clyde Walcott during their tenures.

He also worked on the Rules Review Committee and the Governance and Organisation Committee.

He was also the PCB's representative on the organising committee of the 1996 ICC Cricket World Cup in Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, and was a member of the ICC Cricket World Cup Advisory Committee for the 1999 tournament in England.

A Chartered Accountant by profession and long-time UK resident, Mani is on the Board of a number of UK companies, which include banking and real estate. His financial expertise was used to good effect when playing a major role in the sale of ICC media rights in 2000; negotiations which achieved a guaranteed income of $550 million for international cricket, up to and including the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007.

He played cricket for the Rawalpindi Club from 1959 to 1965 as a left-arm fast medium bowler and a right-handed batsman alongside a number of players who went on to earn international honours before leaving for England to further his studies.