Rameez Raja joins race for PCB chairmanship slot: sources

• Lobbying underway for the prized post of PCB chairman.
• Ehsan Mani's term as PCB chairman ending on Sept 18.
• PM Imran Khan will recommend two names for the office.

LAHORE: Former Test captain-turned commentator Rameez Raja has joined the race for the slot of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairmanship, said sources.

PCB’s Chairman Ehsan Mani’s three-year term as the head of the sports body is ending on September 18.

Sources privy to the development said that Prime Minister Imran Khan — who is also the patron in chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) — will recommend two names to the governing board for the coveted post in the next few days.

Ehsan Mani and Asad Ali Khan are the representatives of the prime minister in the PCB governing board. Reports circulating claimed that Rameez Raja will replace Ehsan Mani.

Mani denies rumours of his resignation

On May 31, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani had debunked rumours of forwarding his resignation to Prime Minister Imran Khan, The News reported.

Responding to a question related to former Test wicketkeeper Rashid Latif's tweet about his resignation’s submission with the prime minister, Mani replied: “[The news] is made up by Rashid Latif.”

Later talking to the publication, the PCB Director Media Sami Burni clarified that there was no degree of truth in such news.

Najam Sethi demands removal of Ehsan Mani, CEO Wasim Khan

Earlier, Former Pakistan Cricket Board chairperson Najam Sethi had wanted current PCB chairperson Ehsan Mani and CEO Wasim Khan to be removed from their posts.

Prime Minister Imran Khan should take some time and see what was happening with Pakistan cricket, Sethi had reported as saying in an interview by The News on June 4.

“People will forget the political failure of the Prime Minister, but will not forget the injustice done to cricket. The media will keep reminding him," he had said.

The former PCB chairperson had said domestic cricket had been ruined because of wrong decisions by the PCB management. 

"It is not appropriate to shut down anything at once without a better alternative. They have shut down departmental and regional cricket and failed to provide an alternative. Cricket has been devastated at every level now,” he had said.