Former captain and ‘king of swing’ Wasim Akram has turned down an offer to join the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as chief executive officer (CEO) or as an adviser to the chairman.
The decision comes at a time when the PCB is facing scrutiny over the management of its cricketing affairs.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as the federal interior minister, has been criticized for his perceived lack of focus on cricket due to his dual roles.
To address these concerns, Naqvi sought to bring in a full-time former cricketer to oversee cricket-related matters at the board.
According to sources, Naqvi recently approached Akram with an offer of a CEO or advisor position. The role would require a full-time commitment, including relocation to Lahore, to effectively manage PCB’s cricket operations.
However, Akram, who lives permanently in Karachi and often travels to Australia for family reasons, cited his inability to relocate as the main reason for his decline.
Despite declining the position, Akram assured Naqvi of his willingness to support Pakistan cricket voluntarily without compensation.
After Akram’s decision, the PCB set their sights on another former cricket legend, Waqar Younis. Younis, who is also based in Australia, has expressed his readiness to move back to Lahore and join the PCB in a similar capacity.
He met Naqvi on Monday to discuss the role, although no official announcement has yet been made regarding his appointment.
Notably, the current PCB constitution does not include the position of CEO, but changes could be considered to facilitate this role if necessary.
Both Akram and Younis have been scrutinized in the past in connection with the Justice Qayyum report, an exhaustive investigation into match-fixing that ended in 2000.
