Sharif backs PCB's decision to nominate ex-boss Sethi for ICC president's post

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)'s patron Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has reportedly backed the decision of the board's chairman Shahryar khan and Board of Governors (BoG) to recommend former head Najam Sethi as Pakistan's nominee for the International Cricket Council (ICC)'s presidency post.

The ICC is looking for a president for a one-year term that starts in July next year and former PCB chairman Sethi has been nominated for the same from Pakistan.

The PCB was to submit the name of its nominee till October 31 which it did a day before the deadline, The Dawn reported.

PCB said in a press release that the board chairman and BoG have unanimously recommended Sethi as Pakistan's nominee for president of ICC for the 2015-16 term commencing on July 1, 2015, adding that the board's Patron, Prime Minister Sharif, on Tuesday evening endorsed the PCB's nomination of Sethi for the ICC President's position.

The release further said that Sethi is a renowned, international award-winning journalist who was given Pakistan's highest civil award, Hilal-i-Pakistan two years ago.

It further stated that last year he served as PCB chairman and helped fashion a new democratic constitution for the board, later voluntarily stepping aside to make way for the election of Shahryar Khan.

It is the second time that Pakistan got this post with Ehsan Mani representing the country as ICC president in early 2000. However, when Mani was president of the ICC the post was not a ceremonial one which it has become now in wake of the formation of the Big-Three whereby India, Australia and England enjoy veto power.

Apparently, Sethi's nomination is reportedly the result of a deal the former PCB chief cut with the ICC after accepting the Big-Three formula, which his predecessor Zaka Ashraf had refused to endorse.

Though Sethi may not be able to help the PCB tremendously in restoration of international cricket in Pakistan during his stint at the ICC, as ambassador of the country, however, he may improve Pakistan's image within the ICC, the report added.