The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Board of Governors, through a video conference, have unanimously accepted Wasim Khan’s resignation from his post as the CEO on Wednesday.
Issuing a statement, PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja said: “During his time with the PCB, Wasim Khan provided excellent leadership, particularly following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic when very little information was available and precise decision-making was required to ensure cricket remained unaffected and continued to be played at the domestic and international levels.”
“The PCB owes Wasim Khan a debt of gratitude for his good leadership and we wish him well in his future plans and career endeavours,” he added.
On the other hand, Khan expressed: “It has been an honour and a privilege to serve the Pakistan Cricket Board and hugely satisfying to see the resumption of Test cricket with Sri Lanka playing Tests in Rawalpindi and Karachi, and the homecoming of the HBL Pakistan Super League during the last two years.”
“When I arrived in 2019, there was a real need to build relationships and restore and enhance the global image and reputation of the PCB and Pakistan cricket. With decisive and strategic decision-making, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, we succeeded in earning the goodwill and respect of the global cricketing family, which I am hopeful will lead to increased international cricket being hosted in Pakistan in future,” he added.
Khan, 50, further said: “With a five-year strategy in place, new domestic structure in its third season and the investment in women’s cricket in an upward direction, I feel it is the right time to move on and reunite with my young family. They have sacrificed a lot so that I could fulfill my dreams of contributing to Pakistan cricket, which will always remain very close to my heart.”
Significantly, a period of four months was left in Khan’s three-year contract.
Khan had tendered his resignation in a meeting with Raja on Tuesday.
Khan was appointed to the post by former PCB chairman Ehsan Mani in 2019 on a three-year contract and was handed the task of running the affairs of the board on modern lines and his contract was set to expire in 2022.
Earlier this month, Pakistan team men’s head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis had also stepped down from their respective posts even as both of them had a year left in their contracts starting from September 2019.
Notably, Khan is an MBA from Warwick Business School University in Coventry, England.
He is a former professional cricketer with a wealth of experience in cricket and cricket management. He has also been a cricketer and has played county cricket in England from 1995 to 2001, during which he represented Warwickshire, Sussex and Derbyshire.
Khan also carries playing experience in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa and in a 58-match first-class career, he had amassed 2,835 runs with five centuries and 17 half-centuries.
His highest score is 181 in first-class cricket.
Khan was awarded MBE in 2013 and two years later, he was appointed as the Chief Executive of the Leicestershire County Cricket Club.