Pakistani media magnate is elected head of PCB.

Following an election at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore, Mohsin Naqvi was named chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for a three-year term. On Tuesday, February 6, the board said that he had been elected as the 37th chairman of the PCB without any opposition from the Board of Governors.

The State of Punjab’s interim chief minister, Naqvi, expressed his happiness at being appointed and his excitement to take on the role and contribute to PCB’s advancement.

“Being unanimously elected as the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board fills me with great pride and humility. I am appreciative of the faith and confidence shown in me. ESPNcricinfo cited Naqvi as saying, “I am fully committed to raising the standard of the game in the nation and bringing professionalism to the administration of cricket in Pakistan.”

Naqvi will continue to serve as Punjab’s acting chief minister in addition to his role as Pakistan Cricket Board chairman.

According to Pakistani regulations, a caretaker government can only remain in power for a maximum of three months as the nation prepares for new elections. In contrast, Naqvi took office in January 2023, a few months after Pakistan’s elections were rescheduled. As chairman, his first task was to supervise the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which kicks off on February 17.

The PCB has been operating without a permanent chairman since December 2022 as a result of the dismissal of Ramiz Raja, a former national captain and the then-prime minister Imran Khan’s favorite. Since then, Zaka Ashraf and Najam Sethi have taken over the temporary chairmanships, respectively.

Naqvi has never worked in cricket administration or played the game before. Neither Zaka Ashraf nor Ehsan Mani, the two previous holders of that position, had any prior experience prior to their original appointments; they were the exception rather than the rule. Furthermore, 45-year-old Naqvi is considered a media magnate who had his training at CNN in the US. In addition, he currently operates the Pakistani station 24 News after having previously worked for the American news network.