Former captain and “Sultan of Swing,” Wasim Akram, had turned down the opportunity to join the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or advisor to the Chairman, according to the media reports.
Following Akram’s decision, Waqar Younis is now being considered for the role.
Reports say Mohsin Naqvi, the Interior Minister and Chairman of the PCB, has been criticised for not dedicating enough time to cricket due to his dual responsibilities.
In response, he decided to appoint a former cricketer to manage cricket affairs.
Naqvi reached out to Akram a few days ago, offering him the CEO or advisor position and emphasising that it would be a full-time role responsible for all cricket-related matters.
Akram declined the offer, explaining that he resides permanently in Karachi and frequently travels to Australia for family reasons, making it impractical for him to relocate to Lahore.
Nevertheless, he expressed his willingness to support Pakistan cricket without compensation whenever needed.
Consequently, PCB officials have reportedly contacted Waqar Younis, who agreed to take on the responsibility.
Waqar Younis, who has previously expressed his intention to relocate back to Lahore, met with Naqvi to discuss the role. However, the board has yet to make an official announcement regarding his appointment.
Both Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis were censured in the Justice Qayyum report, one of the most thorough investigations into match-fixing carried out in Pakistan. It was conducted from September 1998 to September 1999 and was published in May 2000 after some delay.
