Court reappoints Zaka Ashraf as Pakistan Cricket Board chairman

Zaka Ashraf reinstated back as Pakistan cricket board chief.

In the tussle of cricketing power in Pakistan, Former Pakistan Cricket Board Chief Zaka Ashraf has been reinstated back to his old position by the Islamabad High Court.

It was Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who had asked for the sacking of Ashraf on February this year, and a 12-member management committee was instead installed to absorb the control of cricket in the country under Najam Sethi.

“We have heard about the judgement by the IHC,” PCB’s legal adviser Tafazzul Rizvi told Reuters on Saturday. “We are awaiting a copy of it after which we can make a comment.”

Following his appointment, Ashraf expressed his delight with the court’s decision, “There was a smear campaign launched against me by the current set up and I was removed illegally by the government as I was properly elected as chairman.”

“This is a win for Pakistan cricket. I will try to correct the wrong things in Pakistan cricket and do whatever is good for Pakistan cricket.”

Speaking to ESPN Cricinfo, Ashraf’s lawyer, Affan Kundi revealed, “We were not the petitioner but we were made a party of various petitions against Najam Sethi for termination of dozens of employees. Wrapping up the various petitions, the judge suspended the SRO issued by PM on February 10. And the natural legal interpretation suggests that Zaka Ashraf is back as chairman. I am not sure if there is any other interpretation but meanwhile this is the best understanding of the judge’s remarks.”

Ashraf’s appointment means that all the decisions taken by Sethi will now be invalid, including the appointments of head coach Waqar Younis, chief selector Moin Khan, Mushtaq Ahmed as spin bowling coach and batting coach Grant Flower.