Big challenges ahead for Zaka

New PCB chairman Chaudhry Zaka Ashraf will be assuming charge today (October 24) but big challenges await him in the office. First he has to get himself recognised at the ICC and then follow a lot of issues. Whenever there is a new chairman around, things change in the board and the likely chance is the there would be a new COO. Apart from that there is a new coach to be appointed, the selection committee would also be named new and many former cricketers have started to use their connections to get top positions in the PCB.
Reports coming from different quarters say that Zaka Ashraf has been approached by several former cricketers while some have even reached his sister, Ishrat Ashraf – one of the main leader of Pakistan Muslim League-N – to seek her help for a position in the PCB.
Some of the current PCB officials have also contacted Ms Ishrat in an attempt to remain in the office. There are many seeking the COO’s post.
Former captain and current Director General PCB Javed Miandad is in action these days and has reportedly contacted some politicians and bureaucrats close to President Asif Ali Zardari, who is also Patron-In-Chief of the PCB, to get job as Chief Operating Officer. Reports also said that the position of Chief Operating Officer is the most important one in the PCB after chairman and reports suggested that Miandad is asking politicians and bureaucrats, adding that he could handle the crucial matters which Pakistan cricket have to face now days and can bring back international cricket in the country.
Miandad was reported to have said that Zaka can be a good administrator but a cricketer can handle all of these issues in a far better way. Former captain and manager Pakistan cricket team, Asian Bradman Zaheer Abbas is also in the running for the COO slot and has been lobbying and directly contacting the new PCB chief Zaka Ashraf.
Former Test cricket Manzoor Elahi is another name emerging as one of the front-runners for the job. The job of Pakistan coach is another lucrative position for any former cricketer in the world, especially the former Pakistani cricketers as following change of PCB chief, the ex-Test cricketers are fancying their chances for the job. Former Test cricketers like Rashid Latif and Moin Khan have already showed their interest for the position while Wasim Akram also presented his services in an indirect way. Reports said that Aamir Sohail and Basit Ali have also stepped in. Intikhab Alam’s tenure may have been extended but he too wanted to stay in the hunt and so are Aamir Sohail and Sarfraz Nawaz. Once Zaka Ashraf takes charge he has to see several hot issue at hand to tackle.