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'Bad days are over, now its time for worse days' - Fans react to reports that Zaka Ashraf would be next PCB chairman after Najam Sethi pulls out of race

Zaka Ashraf is reportedly set to become the next PCB chairman after Najam Sethi decided to pull out of the race.

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Najam Sethi & Zaka Ashraf

Najam Sethi & Zaka Ashraf (Source: Twitter)

Najam Sethi & Zaka Ashraf Najam Sethi & Zaka Ashraf (Source: Twitter)

Muhammad Zaka Ashraf is reportedly is set to be named as the new chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after the interim chairman Najam Sethi pulled out of the race to become the next head. Sethi has led the PCB's interim management committee since December of last year, with a term expiring on June 21. The 75-year-old was expected to be appointed as the new chairman, but he confirmed on Twitter that he is not in the running.

“Salaam everyone! I don’t want to be a bone of contention between Asif Zardari and Shehbaz Sharif. Such instability and uncertainty is not good for PCB. Under the circumstances I am not a candidate for Chairmanship of PCB. Good luck to all stakeholders,” Sethi tweeted on Tuesday.

Ehsan Mazari had said that Zaka Ashraf will be the next PCB chief

Earlier this month, Pakistan Federal Minister for Inter-provincial Coordination (IPC) Ehsan Ur Rehman Mazari had said that former PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf would be the next board chief. Mazari said that Sethi was appointed for four months to conduct elections for the PCB chairman and his tenure will end on Wednesday.

“Najam Sethi came to temporarily head the interim Management Committee and only had one mandate to conduct elections in the cricket regions," Mazari said in an interview with a private news channel.

Sethi's decision to step down comes ahead of the Asia Cup 2023, which will be hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka in a hybrid model. He played a key role in convincing the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to accept the PCB's aim of holding fewer matches in Pakistan after the Indian Cricket Board refused to send its men to Pakistan. The Sethi-led committee had also threatened to boycott the ODI World Cup to be held in India later this year.

Sethi took office when the former chairman, Ramiz Raja, resigned due to a disagreement with the Board of Governors (BoG) about the future of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Here's how fans reacted: 

Pakistan PCB Najam Sethi