he race for the coveted slot of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman is under way. Former chairman Zaka Ashraf is being tipped as likely to regain his position if elections are held in accordance with the notified schedule. However, this is not a straight forward matter involving just the cricketing considerations. At another level, this is being seen as a tug-of-war between former president Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

Until Monday, June 26, when these lines were written [on account of early printing deadlines ahead of the Eid holidays] elections to the PCB’s executive committee were scheduled for June 27. A PCB official told The News on Sunday (TNS), “It is still not a sure thing. The elections might be postponed at the 11^th hour. Even if they are held on June 27, the process might be challenged in a court.”

Zaka Ashraf, also chairman of Zarai Tarqiyati Bank Limited, had served as the PCB chairman from 2011 to 2013. The ZTBL cricket team was then a prominent contender in the departmental cricket. Several players from the team played for the national side including Sharjil Khan and Haris Suhail.

When then president Zardari appointed Ashraf as PCB chairman in 2011, the move had raised eyebrows in cricketing circles. PPP sources said the appointment was an outcome of his closeness with Zardari. They said Ashraf had been a close friend to Zulfiqar Mirza, a school-time friend of Zardari’s. Mirza was believed to have introduced Ashraf to Zardari. Ironically, while Mirza has lost his place in Zardari’s camp, Ashraf is one his trusted confidants. The fact that his son’s marriage was organised at Bilawal House in Bahria Town, Lahore, speaks volumes of Ashraf’s proximity to Zardari.

Ashraf’s family has considerable presence in the PML-N, too. His sister, Begum Ishrat Ashraf, is a former PML-N MNA and the spouse of Chaudhry Jaffer Iqbal, the PML-N stalwart from Rahim Yar Khan. His niece Zeb Jaffer is still a PML-N MNA against a reserved seats.

PCB sources say, Ashraf showed a keen interest in training and selection of the national team.

As PCB chairman, Ashraf promoted departmental cricket. His ZTBL team was an important component of the setup that was later ended. One of his achievements was the strengthening of the national women’s cricket team, which had been struggling when he took over. Later, several prominent women cricketers were included in the ZTBL women’s team. Another feather in his cap was managing a bilateral series (three one-day matches and two T20 games) between Pakistan and India in 2012-13.

Ashraf had also proposed the idea of Pakistan Super League, although it was implemented after his tenure.

In 2013, when elections for the PCB committee were announced, Ashraf changed the PCB constitution and tried to keep the office. His action was challenged in court. When the PML-N government nominated Sethi for PCB chairman, the matter was still before the court. The chairman’s office changed hands between Ashraf and Sethi a couple of times. On one occasion after Sethi had attended a meeting of the ICC as chairman, on his return, the court had ordered the reinstatement of Ashraf, who then attended the next meeting.

PCB sources say as chairperson, Ashraf took a keen interest in the training and selection of the national team.

If he is elected again, he will face several challenges. First, the PTI has made huge structural changes in domestic cricket. It has eliminated regional and departmental cricket and divided cricketers’ into six units. As many as 25 regional teams have been abolished and six departmental teams dissolved.

Ashraf might like to revive the old structure of domestic cricket in Pakistan. However, this will be a huge challenge as major departments, including National Bank, Habib Bank, ZTBL, SNGPL and Wapda have dissolved their sports wings. Teams from 25 regions and their support structures don’t exist any longer. Revival of the set up will thus be quite a test.

The writer is a senior journalist, teacher of journalism, writer and analyst. He tweets at @BukhariMubasher