Lahore, 19 January 2024: Mr Zaka Ashraf chaired the fourth meeting of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s Management Committee (MC) on Friday at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore. Among the ten members of the committee, one member, Mr Khurram Karim Somroo joined the meeting online whereas the remainder were present in person.
Members were briefed on PCB affairs and financial matters. CFO presented management accounts and projection for the remaining financial year.
Chairman MC Mr Zaka Ashraf provided a summary of the milestones achieved during the tenure of the current MC which was constituted in the first week of July. These include:
• Pakistan’s share of the ICC Revenue was increased by 100 per cent
• Media Rights and Live-streaming Rights for HBL Pakistan Super League 9 & 10 were tendered and yielded the highest offers ever, which was nearly double of the revenue generated in the last cycle.
• Pakistan regained the No.1 ODI spot in ICC rankings
• Pakistan successfully hosted Asia Cup after 15 years
• BCCI delegation visited Pakistan for first time since 2008
• Pakistan won the Emerging Asia Cup (Pakistan Shaheens) and away Test series against Sri Lanka
• Up to 80 women's domestic contracts offered for the first time
• Pakistan women won the T20I series against South Africa 3-0 for the first time
• Pakistan women's team won T20I series against New Zealand for the first time
• Service Level Agreement signed with DineticQ, subsidiary of Loughborough University for integration of science, artificial intelligence, and bio mechanics in Pakistan’s cricket ecosystem
• MoU executed with Middlesex County Cricket Club (MCCC) for collaboration on multiple projects for cricket development
• Understanding reached with Cricket Australia for player development, strategic alliance between HBL PSL-BBL, Curator training programs, and reciprocal tours for Men and Women junior cricket
He thanked members of the MC, the PCB management, and staff for their support during this tenure. Members of the MC and the PCB management expressed their gratitude to the Chairman MC for his leadership.
At the end of the meeting, Mr Zaka Ashraf announced that under the circumstances, he had decided to tender his resignation as chairman and member of the MC to the honourable patron Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar.
In his concluding remarks, Mr Zaka Ashraf, extended his best wishes and prayers for the betterment of Pakistan cricket.
The members of the management committee including Mr. Mustafa Ramday (the Patrons second nominee) unanimously requested the chairman to reconsider his decision and withdraw his decision to resign as the same would be a great loss to the Pakistan Cricket Board. However, the Chairman politely declined this request. Thereafter, all members of the management committee thanked the chairman for his gracious and tireless services to cricket and the Pakistan Cricket Board.
The management of the Pakistan Cricket Board present at the meeting, including the Chief Operating Officer of the Pakistan Cricket Board thanked the chairman of the management committee for his services to the Pakistan Cricket Board and recognised his commitment towards the Pakistan Cricket Board during his tenure as the chairman of the management committee.