Najam Sethi, the head of Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) management committee on Thursday expressed that he would act on the advice of the government when it comes to cricket relations with India. After Ramiz Raja was removed from the post of PCB Chief. A panel was formed to govern cricket in Pakistan for the next four months. Sethi was on Wednesday appointed chairman of a 14-member committee.

“Governments in both countries have to be consulted when it comes to bilateral and other cricket relations between Pakistan and India,” Sethi told reporters in Lahore.

The Indian cricket team has not toured Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup. After the terrorist attack in Mumbai on 26 November, the bilateral series to be held in early 2009 was also canceled. Pakistan last toured India in 2012 for a six-match white ball series but since then no bilateral cricket has been played between the two in the last 10 years. The two teams only meet each other in International Cricket Council (ICC) and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) events.

Sethi said his main task was to fully implement the 2014 constitution and revive the Board of Governors and General Body under the old system and hold elections within 120 days.

But Sethi, who was chairman and CEO between 2013 and 2018 before resigning after the Imran Khan-led government took charge in 2018, appeared unhappy with the announcement of the Pakistan Test squad for the home series against New Zealand by the old management.

“I don’t know whether there is a need to make changes in the squad, we will see if fresh ideas are required. It would have been better if the squad had not been announced,” he said.

The government on Wednesday night issued a notification confirming the appointment of the management committee while removing Ramiz Raja, but the sitting chief selector Muhammad Wasim announced the squad for the NZ series.

Sethi dropped clear hints that there would be changes in the Board, including in cricket-related areas.

“I think we had done a good job in our four-five year tenure before I resigned. But what has happened in the last four years everyone can see,” he said.

Sethi also made it clear that the country’s prime minister wanted a revival of departmental teams and regional cricket associations.

“That is our main priority to revive departmental cricket because in the last four years we have seen a terrible rise in unemployment and a famine in cricket talent. The old system worked well for us and we got players from domestic cricket.

Nowadays it seems we are only getting players from PSL,” he said.

(Inputs from PTI)

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