Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani is against the idea of someone from among the ‘big three’ nations of India, England and Australia becoming the next ICC chairperson, saying it would be “healthier” for the game to select someone from other boards.
Mani said there was some kind of “politics introduced” by BCCI, Cricket Australia and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in the ICC.
The ICC chairman’s post has been lying vacant since July after the departure of Indian Shashank Manohar. The ICC Board is yet to take a decision on whether the process to choose the new chairman should be based on a two-thirds majority vote or a simple majority.
“It’s unfortunate it has taken so long. The politics introduced by Australia, England and India in 2014 to protect their positions — now they are struggling to unwind it because it doesn’t suit them anymore,” Mani was quoted as saying by the Forbes magazine.
“It would be healthier to have someone (the chairperson) not from the ‘big three’.”
Mani, who served as the ICC chairman from 2003-06, however, quashed speculation that he is interested in the top job.
“I was never interested. A few of the directors asked me but I told them that I’m there to only serve Pakistan. I’ve done it all before.”
Colin Graves, whose term as ECB chairman ended on August 31, has been touted as a candidate, as has BCCI president Sourav Ganguly. The names of New Zealand Cricket chairman Greg Barclay and former Cricket West Indies head Dave Cameron are also doing rounds.