How would you rank all of the PCB Chairmen we have had since 2000?

[msb314]

For me - Najam Sethi remains the best He was handed a complete mess and took huge strides to implement a top class PSL league and help facilitate the return of international cricket to Pakistan. A job truly well done and will fondly remember his reign for many years to come!

Sheharyar Khan was good and a fantastic diplomat - helped grease the wheels for Zimbabwe's iconic tour of Pakistan in 2015 and was a very competent adminstrator. During his earlier years - he also championed the iconic Indian tour of Pakistan in 2004 and dealt with the Oval fiasco of 2006 very professionally.

I dont know much about Tauqir Zia since I was quite young at the time but heard he was decent.

Zaka Ashraf did a decent job but was strongly helped by the fact that we had a stable team with Misbah being captain for Tests and ODI's during his tenure and thankfully no contronversies as well. However, we failed to move forward and progress during his reign.

Nasim Ashraf was also okay but he really should have done more to prevent the mass exodus of players to ICL in 2007 - really left a sour taste in our mouths. The careers of Razzaq and MoYo should have also been dealt with better rather than then being left our to dry. Also - the fact that we played a grand total of ZERO test matches in 2008 was unacceptable. By the time he left - we were in complete shambles

Now on to Ijaz Butt finally In fact - where do I even begin?? From the spot fixing scandal of 2010 to accusing English players of spot fixing themselves to Zulqarnain Haider running away mid-tour in 2010 to the Oath-taking taking conspiracy, the shambolic tour of Australia and England in 2009/10 and the MoYo/YK fallout of 2010 - everything was a complete mess!! Obviously - he was handed a huge mess in the first place and the tragic events of 2009 were not his fault but he could have done more in damage limitation mode afterwards - e.g. playing some 2011 WC games in the UAE instead. By far our worst ever chairman

So here are my rankings!

1) Najam Sethi
2) Sheharyar Khan
3) Tauqir Zia
4) Zaka Ashraf
5) Nasim Ashraf
6) Ijaz Butt.

 

[MMHS]

For me - Najam Sethi remains the best He was handed a complete mess and took huge strides to implement a top class PSL league and help facilitate the return of international cricket to Pakistan. A job truly well done and will fondly remember his reign for many years to come!

Sheharyar Khan was good and a fantastic diplomat - helped grease the wheels for Zimbabwe's iconic tour of Pakistan in 2015 and was a very competent adminstrator. During his earlier years - he also championed the iconic Indian tour of Pakistan in 2004 and dealt with the Oval fiasco of 2006 very professionally.

I dont know much about Tauqir Zia since I was quite young at the time but heard he was decent.

Zaka Ashraf did a decent job but was strongly helped by the fact that we had a stable team with Misbah being captain for Tests and ODI's during his tenure and thankfully no contronversies as well. However, we failed to move forward and progress during his reign.

Nasim Ashraf was also okay but he really should have done more to prevent the mass exodus of players to ICL in 2007 - really left a sour taste in our mouths. The careers of Razzaq and MoYo should have also been dealt with better rather than then being left our to dry. Also - the fact that we played a grand total of ZERO test matches in 2008 was unacceptable. By the time he left - we were in complete shambles

Now on to Ijaz Butt finally In fact - where do I even begin?? From the spot fixing scandal of 2010 to accusing English players of spot fixing themselves to Zulqarnain Haider running away mid-tour in 2010 to the Oath-taking taking conspiracy, the shambolic tour of Australia and England in 2009/10 and the MoYo/YK fallout of 2010 - everything was a complete mess!! Obviously - he was handed a huge mess in the first place and the tragic events of 2009 were not his fault but he could have done more in damage limitation mode afterwards - e.g. playing some 2011 WC games in the UAE instead. By far our worst ever chairman

So here are my rankings!

1) Najam Sethi
2) Sheharyar Khan
3) Tauqir Zia
4) Zaka Ashraf
5) Nasim Ashraf
6) Ijaz Butt.

Dr. Ashraf was quite decent actually, despite being short of technical knowledge. Butt was loose mouth, but not the most incompetent one, which should go to ZA.

I think, Gen. Zia was a fantastic Chairman - his blunder was to trust too many former players, who were incompetent outside playing cricket. Also, he left his office all of a sudden, which I read due to his son (I read, he resigned so that selectors can pick or drop Junaid on merit, just before 2003 NZ tour). Gen. Zia was the pioneer of modernizing PCB - I believe, he had a long term plan for nationwide academy, reforming domestic cricket, bringing technology and he was the first Chairman who was adamant to bring a foreign pro as coach. I can recall, Woolmer being approached multiple times during his time, which eventually happened just before he left. Pybus was also appointed (& re appointed) during his time.

He tried to clean PAK cricket (from fixing issues), and successfully arranged some actions. He allowed Amir Sohail (Then CS) to clean the house and reduce average age by 5 years at least - otherwise we could have seen half of PAK team limping by 2005. He was also instrumental in bringing Wasim back as Captain before tour of IND in 1999, other wise Rambo Raja was destined for a 3-0...... Probably, not the most popular guy for his Army back-ground, but quite honest & capable Chairman.

SK was a polished, clean guy and he was quite capable. I think, he was too polite for such a role, which cost him his 1st appointment (and spoiled his 2nd as well). He being a seasoned diplomat, took Inzi's Oval gate acts on his own and left office - 10 years back, in his return he made sure that his Captains were polished and obedient - hence Misbah & Azhar.

Your ranking is quite acceptable, but my personal one will be

1. Gen Zia
2. SK
3. NS
4. DNA
.
.
.
50. Butt
.
.
100. ZA

 

[BunnyRabbit]

Najam Sethi and Shehryar Khan were good.

Other 4 were utter garbage.
Remember how in Tauqir Zia's time, we had his son Junaid Zia representing Pakistan, which was pure nepotism as he will go down as one of the worst players to have represented Pakistan. Amir Sohail of all people was made Chief Selector. I also heard Waqar Younis and some other people complaining how NCA was just there and not being utilized for what it was made for.

Zaka Ashraf, possibly the most corrupt of all the chairmen we have had. PCB in financial terms was at an all time low in loans and debts I read somewhere, by the end of Zaka Ashraf's tenure. Used to attend almost every Pakistan match in VIP protocols. There were rumors of him utilizing PCB's money for his trips and stuff. His dealing with BCB was nothing less than mob-like. He basically was trying to hold BCB at ransom by withdrawing NOC for Pakistani players for BPL, which was extremely unprofessional.

Ijaz Butt, no description required. Was an incompetent clown from another dimension. His dealing of spot fixing saga was extremely poor. The only good thing he did was to appoint Misbah as captain.

Nasim Ashraf, another incompetent person who should not have been near PCB. Remember his dealing with doping case and subsequent surrender after WC 07 debacle. There were reports of him using PCB's money for vacationing with his family in South Africa in 2007 when Pakistan was touring. His dealing with ICL fiasco was weird. He was basically catering to the demands of individual players who were trying to go to ICL for money(Yousaf as one example) and was ensuring them that they would get picked in IPL(Yousaf went unsold). His dealing with Shoaib Akhtar's case was childish and immature. His resignation on the day of Musharraf's stand down had politics written all over it. He was possibly the only chairman to have given the most resignations.
Heard he's in charge of T10 league now. Expecting it to crash down soon if he stays.

Najam Sethi and Shehryar, may have their faults, but have been a major upgrade over the garbage we have had in last 15 years. Shehryar's later tenure from 2014 onward was better than his previous one IMO.

 

[msb314]

Dr. Ashraf was quite decent actually, despite being short of technical knowledge. Butt was loose mouth, but not the most incompetent one, which should go to ZA.

I think, Gen. Zia was a fantastic Chairman - his blunder was to trust too many former players, who were incompetent outside playing cricket. Also, he left his office all of a sudden, which I read due to his son (I read, he resigned so that selectors can pick or drop Junaid on merit, just before 2003 NZ tour). Gen. Zia was the pioneer of modernizing PCB - I believe, he had a long term plan for nationwide academy, reforming domestic cricket, bringing technology and he was the first Chairman who was adamant to bring a foreign pro as coach. I can recall, Woolmer being approached multiple times during his time, which eventually happened just before he left. Pybus was also appointed (& re appointed) during his time.

He tried to clean PAK cricket (from fixing issues), and successfully arranged some actions. He allowed Amir Sohail (Then CS) to clean the house and reduce average age by 5 years at least - otherwise we could have seen half of PAK team limping by 2005. He was also instrumental in bringing Wasim back as Captain before tour of IND in 1999, other wise Rambo Raja was destined for a 3-0...... Probably, not the most popular guy for his Army back-ground, but quite honest & capable Chairman.

SK was a polished, clean guy and he was quite capable. I think, he was too polite for such a role, which cost him his 1st appointment (and spoiled his 2nd as well). He being a seasoned diplomat, took Inzi's Oval gate acts on his own and left office - 10 years back, in his return he made sure that his Captains were polished and obedient - hence Misbah & Azhar.

Your ranking is quite acceptable, but my personal one will be

1. Gen Zia
2. SK
3. NS
4. DNA
.
.
.
50. Butt
.
.
100. ZA

Thanks buddy for your detailed knowledge - as always

But why was ZA the most incompetent one in your opinion?

 

[Bouncer]

Dr. Ashraf was quite decent actually, despite being short of technical knowledge. Butt was loose mouth, but not the most incompetent one, which should go to ZA.

I think, Gen. Zia was a fantastic Chairman - his blunder was to trust too many former players, who were incompetent outside playing cricket. Also, he left his office all of a sudden, which I read due to his son (I read, he resigned so that selectors can pick or drop Junaid on merit, just before 2003 NZ tour). Gen. Zia was the pioneer of modernizing PCB - I believe, he had a long term plan for nationwide academy, reforming domestic cricket, bringing technology and he was the first Chairman who was adamant to bring a foreign pro as coach. I can recall, Woolmer being approached multiple times during his time, which eventually happened just before he left. Pybus was also appointed (& re appointed) during his time.

He tried to clean PAK cricket (from fixing issues), and successfully arranged some actions. He allowed Amir Sohail (Then CS) to clean the house and reduce average age by 5 years at least - otherwise we could have seen half of PAK team limping by 2005. He was also instrumental in bringing Wasim back as Captain before tour of IND in 1999, other wise Rambo Raja was destined for a 3-0...... Probably, not the most popular guy for his Army back-ground, but quite honest & capable Chairman.

SK was a polished, clean guy and he was quite capable. I think, he was too polite for such a role, which cost him his 1st appointment (and spoiled his 2nd as well). He being a seasoned diplomat, took Inzi's Oval gate acts on his own and left office - 10 years back, in his return he made sure that his Captains were polished and obedient - hence Misbah & Azhar.

Your ranking is quite acceptable, but my personal one will be

1. Gen Zia
2. SK
3. NS
4. DNA
.
.
.
50. Butt
.
.
100. ZA

[MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION]
TZ was not part of the PCB when Wasim was made captain before India tour of 99. He came on board right before Aus99 tour. If anything he would not have let WA lead due to recent release of Qayyum report (Late 98 I believe) and would have kept AS as a captain.

Another thing to note is that WA's getting captaincy was consistent with how he got captaincy in 95 too, where team Pak that starts losing 4 or so months prior to a WC and captaincy is handed to a someone who is seen as man perfect and physically fit to lead the team for the WC.

95 saw Pak have bad couple of months in not qualifiying for the Asia Cup finals(end of 94-95 season), the started 95 season with losing tests and ODI's to SL at home, not qualify for Sharjah Cup (fortress back in those days) + some seniors did not feel comfortable (maybe performing) under then captain, certain someone sat out (reported as inury) to watch team lose crucial game(s) & captaincy was given to (now fit both as player and captain)WA.

98 saw Pak losing to Australia and then Zim in both test and ODI serieses , some seniors did not feel comfortable (maybe performing) under then captain, certain someone sat out (reported as inury) to watch team lose crucial game(s) & captaincy was given to (now fit both as player and captain)WA.

2002 same script was being repeated but this time Chairman Zia did not cave in to the pressure and persisted with the captain to lead the team into 03WC when all the similar events that happened prior to previous WC's were happening in similar order.

 

[Savak]

Tauqir Zia is very under appreciated. The man did modernize the PCB and tried to bring the Pakistani team and culture which relied on individual brilliance, talent to modern scientific ways. He is single handedly responsible for the creation of the NCA. He also had to handle the tricky task of phasing out the 90's super stars in an amicable way to the next generation, he tried to carry them along and give them as much respect as possible given their massive services to the country before eventually the 2003 WC debacle gave him a complete free hand to get rid of the old guard and to bring in fresh blood.

Shahryar Khan was decent but he was ineffective and weak in front of Inzamam and gave him too much powers to control team selection. But he did manage to bring Bob Woolmer in.

Naseem Ashraf was a total disaster and PCB's financial problems started under his tenure where he went on a massive spending spree where he treated the PCB exchequer as his own bank account and ruled by intimidation and it was clear that the players who did not take dictation from him, kiss his behind were discarded easily

Ijaz Butt was easily the worst, most incompetent and destroyed anything that was left of the PCB. He wasn't financially corrupt but was very old fashioned, stubborn and many of his decisions contributed to massive instability in the team. The spot fixing scandal should have led to his ouster.

Zaka Ashraf, well for the courts to kick you out multiple times. That should say it all.

We know everything about Sethi

So for me, in this list I will go for the top 2

1) Sethi
2) Tauqir Zia

 

[MMHS]

[MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION]
TZ was not part of the PCB when Wasim was made captain before India tour of 99. He came on board right before Aus99 tour. If anything he would not have let WA lead due to recent release of Qayyum report (Late 98 I believe) and would have kept AS as a captain.

Another thing to note is that WA's getting captaincy was consistent with how he got captaincy in 95 too, where team Pak that starts losing 4 or so months prior to a WC and captaincy is handed to a someone who is seen as man perfect and physically fit to lead the team for the WC.

95 saw Pak have bad couple of months in not qualifiying for the Asia Cup finals(end of 94-95 season), the started 95 season with losing tests and ODI's to SL at home, not qualify for Sharjah Cup (fortress back in those days) + some seniors did not feel comfortable (maybe performing) under then captain, certain someone sat out (reported as inury) to watch team lose crucial game(s) & captaincy was given to (now fit both as player and captain)WA.

98 saw Pak losing to Australia and then Zim in both test and ODI serieses , some seniors did not feel comfortable (maybe performing) under then captain, certain someone sat out (reported as inury) to watch team lose crucial game(s) & captaincy was given to (now fit both as player and captain)WA.

2002 same script was being repeated but this time Chairman Zia did not cave in to the pressure and persisted with the captain to lead the team into 03WC when all the similar events that happened prior to previous WC's were happening in similar order.

My mistake, memory is fading Now I see that Gen Zia took charge on Dec 1999. In fact, he was instrumental in removing Wasim from Captaincy, and IICRC this time, after WSC of 2000, Wasim was ousted from Captaincy forever (with a note that he'll never be made Captain), based on Justice Qaium report. But, I heard him in TV, claiming that he stepped down as PCB Chairman so that Junaid gets a fair chance - in fact (as he said).

Also, as h said, he wanted to ban culprits of the fixing ring for life - he went to Gen Musharraf with names in hand for approval, who asked him if he had replacements (which suggests, Zia went for a mass cleaning, and Gen Musharraf wasn't ready to take a massive hit on cricket team's performance at a critical time, which could have made him extremely unpopular) - Gen Zia had to back off. This I heard in some live program during a game in front of Dr. Niaz & few others I have forgotten and everyone was silent, therefore must be lots of truth in it.

 

[MMHS]

Thanks buddy for your detailed knowledge - as always

But why was ZA the most incompetent one in your opinion?

It's actually a choice between two worst

Among the 2, think Butt at least had previous association with cricket, lots of it. He was probably involved in PCB (BCCP) since 1970s, been Manager of various National teams, been involved in administrative roles, been part of domestic teams ..... and he was a former Test cricketer with adequate education (I believe he completed Masters from Punjab University). He made lots of silly calls including sacking of Lawson and handling of Fixing issues couldn't be worse, but at least guy knew what he was running (PCB, Cricket operation) and he curved lots of player power. He was 70+, wrong headed & loose mouth guy, but probably wasn't incompetent - if he was made accountable, he could have done better.

I haven't found a single quality of Z Ashraf searching net - may be only one is that he was classmate of AAZ in a Cadet College Petaro, till 12th class (And that's his traceable last education - intermediate pass). He had absolutely no past track of cricket administration, apart from president of ZTBL (which he was due to his inherited business fortune), and during 2 years, I can't recall a singe action from the guy that I can praise. Those 2 years are almost blank in my mind - to positive memory. His biggest asset was friendship of AAZ and being the brother of a PML-N MNA.

You can disqualify a Chairman on several grounds - incompetent, dishonest, morally corrupt, nepotism, under-qualified, inexperience ....... this guy was good enough to tick every box!!!!!!!

 

[Savak]

My mistake, memory is fading Now I see that Gen Zia took charge on Dec 1999. In fact, he was instrumental in removing Wasim from Captaincy, and IICRC this time, after WSC of 2000, Wasim was ousted from Captaincy forever (with a note that he'll never be made Captain), based on Justice Qaium report. But, I heard him in TV, claiming that he stepped down as PCB Chairman so that Junaid gets a fair chance - in fact (as he said).

Also, as h said, he wanted to ban culprits of the fixing ring for life - he went to Gen Musharraf with names in hand for approval, who asked him if he had replacements (which suggests, Zia went for a mass cleaning, and Gen Musharraf wasn't ready to take a massive hit on cricket team's performance at a critical time, which could have made him extremely unpopular) - Gen Zia had to back off. This I heard in some live program during a game in front of Dr. Niaz & few others I have forgotten and everyone was silent, therefore must be lots of truth in it.

The senior players of the 90's squad for some strange reason did not like Tauqir Zia but the junior players of the time like Afridi, Akhtar, Razzaq, Yousaf e.t.c speak very fondly of him. Not sure why the senior players dislike him because Zia carried them for as long as possible, Waqar would not even have made it in the 2003 WC squad as a player alone had he not been captain, Saeed Anwar on recent form did not deserve to make the 2003 WC squad and everyone knew Wasim was looking at the 2003 WC as his swan song.

He had every reason to clean up the squad from 2000 onwards but decided to give these senior players a chance to leave the game on respectable terms.

 

[Bouncer]

The senior players of the 90's squad for some strange reason did not like Tauqir Zia but the junior players of the time like Afridi, Akhtar, Razzaq, Yousaf e.t.c speak very fondly of him. Not sure why the senior players dislike him because Zia carried them for as long as possible, Waqar would not even have made it in the 2003 WC squad as a player alone had he not been captain, Saeed Anwar on recent form did not deserve to make the 2003 WC squad and everyone knew Wasim was looking at the 2003 WC as his swan song.

He had every reason to clean up the squad from 2000 onwards but decided to give these senior players a chance to leave the game on respectable terms.

he was the 2nd highest wicket taker of 2002 in ODI's and missed out to be #1 by 2 wickets.

Sure you know what you talk about. Like Always

 

[Savak]

he was the 2nd highest wicket taker of 2002 in ODI's and missed out to be #1 by 2 wickets.

Sure you know what you talk about. Like Always

Captaincy extended his career, he was discarded as a player before that under other captains. Don't care what stats say, he was finished as a bowler and was always leaking runs and relieving pressure with the ball in hand.

 

[msb314]

It's actually a choice between two worst

Among the 2, think Butt at least had previous association with cricket, lots of it. He was probably involved in PCB (BCCP) since 1970s, been Manager of various National teams, been involved in administrative roles, been part of domestic teams ..... and he was a former Test cricketer with adequate education (I believe he completed Masters from Punjab University). He made lots of silly calls including sacking of Lawson and handling of Fixing issues couldn't be worse, but at least guy knew what he was running (PCB, Cricket operation) and he curved lots of player power. He was 70+, wrong headed & loose mouth guy, but probably wasn't incompetent - if he was made accountable, he could have done better.

I haven't found a single quality of Z Ashraf searching net - may be only one is that he was classmate of AAZ in a Cadet College Petaro, till 12th class (And that's his traceable last education - intermediate pass). He had absolutely no past track of cricket administration, apart from president of ZTBL (which he was due to his inherited business fortune), and during 2 years, I can't recall a singe action from the guy that I can praise. Those 2 years are almost blank in my mind - to positive memory. His biggest asset was friendship of AAZ and being the brother of a PML-N MNA.

You can disqualify a Chairman on several grounds - incompetent, dishonest, morally corrupt, nepotism, under-qualified, inexperience ....... this guy was good enough to tick every box!!!!!!!

The one thing Zaka Ashraf had going for him was the our team was relatively stable and controversy-free. Misbah deserves credit for that as due but we were stagant for too long during that 2011-2014 era. Haris, Usman, Fakhar etc. could have all made their debut back then..