Ehsan Mani resigned as he was not willing to share powers with Ramiz Raja: sources

• Ehsan Mani wanted full powers in second term as well, say sources.
• Ehsan Mani had told PM that he wanted to shift to England in a year after completing his ongoing projects.
• Mani excused himself from working with Ramiz Raja and decided to resign from his post.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) former chairman Ehsan Mani preferred to resign than share his powers with former Pakistan captain and renowned commentator Ramiz Raja, according to a report published in Daily Jang.  

Five days earlier, Ehsan Mani told the prime minister that he wanted to shift to England in a year after completing his ongoing projects, sources privy to the matter said, adding that the prime minister had directed him to continue his work as PCB chief. 

Later, Ehsan Mani was told that Ramiz Raja will be appointed as a member of the PCB's BoG and later, will be made vice president of the board, so that when Mani quits the post a year later, Ramiz will take charge of the chairman for the remaining period.

After two days of deliberation, Ehsan Mani asked the Prime Minister Office to appoint Asad Ali as member of the PCB's BoG and excused himself from working with Ramiz Raja. 

Ehsan Mani, however, wanted full powers in his second term as well but on the other hand, Prime Minister Imran, who is also the patron-in-chief of PCB, had planned to appoint Ramiz Raja as PCB vice chairman, the well-informed sources said.

Ehsan Mani feared that a heavyweight like Ramiz Raja could create problems for him as differences had developed between PCB’s former chairman Shahryar Khan and Najam Sethi, when Sethi was appointed as the board's chairman executive committee a couple of years ago.

In this scenario, Ehsan Mani has decided to tender his resignation and settle in England.

In his three-year term as PCB chairman, Ehsan Mani had made major changes in the board’s administration, as well as in the team management. He had removed chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed and other high-ranking officers.

PM nominates Ramiz Raja, Asad Ali Khan as PCB BoG members  

On August 27, Prime Minister Imran Khan had nominated Ramiz Raja and Asad Ali Khan as members of the cricket authority's board of governors.

According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination, the members had been appointed for a three-year tenure in terms of Paragraph 12(5) of the Constitution of the Pakistan Cricket Board, 2019.

Earlier, PM Imran Khan had already appointed Justice Azmat Saeed as election commissioner to oversee the PCB chairman's election.

This is Asad Ali Khan's second appointement to the board of governors. Ehsan Mani and Khan, the patron\s previous two nominees, have completed their three-year terms on the board.

Ramiz Raja accepts PCB chairman post

Former Pakistan cricketer and renowned commentator Ramiz Raja had accepted the post of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman, according to Cricbuzz.

"The aim is to reset Pakistan cricket's GPS and will be in pursuit of excellence," Ramiz Raja was quoted by the website as saying.

Three days earlier, he had told the website, after meeting the prime minister, said the report.

"I have given him (Imran Khan) my plans. He will make a call," he said.

Speaking to Geo News, Raja said he had been informed of becoming the new chairman of the board through a communique from the PM's Office.

"After being elected — as the new chairman — by the board of governors, I will address a press conference," he had said and expressed he had many plans for PCB.