Karachi :Najam Sethi withdrew his nomination for ICC president on Monday and requested the Pakistan Cricket Board nominate a former Test cricketer in his place.
The ICC was to consider Sethi’s appointment later this month at a board meeting in Barbados. But the game’s governing body has encouraged cricket boards to appoint former Test cricketers from their countries for the ceremonial post of president for a period of one year. The PCB said Sethi wrote a letter to ICC Chairman N. Srinivasan and apologised for his belated decision.
“Since the ICC announcement that from next year the post of ICC president will be open only to iconic test cricketers nominated by member boards, I have increasingly felt that it is only fitting that this rule should be implemented straightaway so that one of Pakistan’s great iconic cricketers should be so honoured,” Sethi wrote in his letter.
“I am withdrawing my nomination with immediate effect and requesting the Board of Governors of the Pakistan Cricket Board to nominate a great Pakistani ex-Test cricketer in my place.” Mustafa Kamal of Bangladesh resigned as ICC president in April after criticising umpires for his country’s loss against India in the quarterfinals of the World Cup. Kamal also protested when he was not asked to hand over the World Cup winning trophy to Australia, which he said was his right as ICC president.