Ramiz Raja promises to be open, transparent as PCB chairman

• PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja thanks fans, supporters for wishes.
• Newly-elected PCB chairman will interact with public like PM Imran Khan.
• “I promise to be open and transparent during my stint as Chairman PCB," says Ramiz Raja.

LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja Monday promised to be open and transparent during his stint and announced to interact with the public in a live Q&A session every week.

He said this in a Twitter message Monday after he was elected the 36th chairman of the PCB.

“To all, many thanks for your wishes. Means a lot. To keep communication channels open, I will have Fan Forum with Ramiz, a Q&A live session on RamizSpeaks every week,” Ramiz Raja, a prolific social media user, said on the microblogging website.

He said: “I promise to be open and transparent during my stint as Chairman PCB. So let’s get cracking!”

The former cricketer was elected as the new PCB boss after Ehsan Mani stepped down from the post after completing his three-year tenure last month. He was nominated by Prime Minister Imran Khan as a member of the PCB Board of Governors.

Addressing the BoG following his election, Ramiz Raja said: “I am thankful to all of you for electing me as the PCB Chairman and look forward to working with you to ensure Pakistan cricket continues to thrive and grow stronger, both on and off-the-field.

“One of my key focuses will be to help introduce in the Pakistan men’s cricket team the same culture, mindset, attitude and approach that once made Pakistan one of the most feared cricket playing nations,” he said.

The newly elected PCB chief said that as an organisation, we all need to get behind the national team and provide them the desired assistance and support so that they can produce that brand of cricket, which the fans also expect from them each time they step on to the field of play.

“Obviously, as a former cricketer, my other priority will be to look into the welfare of our past and present cricketers. The game has and will always be about the cricketers and, as such, they deserve more recognition and respect from their parent institution,” he added

Profile

Ramiz Raja is Pakistan’s 18th Test and 12th ODI captain and played 255 international matches in which he scored 8,674 runs in the period from 1984 to 1997.

He has previously served the PCB as its Chief Executive from 2003-2004, has represented Pakistan on the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee and presently sits on the MCC World Cricket Committee.

He has been a successful broadcaster with the world’s leading cricket networks and is widely regarded as the voice of Pakistan cricket.

Ramiz Raja is only the fourth former Pakistan international cricketer to head the PCB after Abdul Hafeez Kardar (1972-1977), Javed Burki (1994-1995) and Ijaz Butt (2008-2011).