Pakistan PM asked me to continue as chairman - Shaharyar Khan

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan has said he has received the backing of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who serves as Patron-in-Chief of the PCB, to continue in his post till his three-year tenure expires in August 2017. This should effectively quash the uncertainty surrounding the PCB's leadership following a perceived power struggle between Shaharyar and Executive Committee head Najam Sethi.

"I have known the Prime Minister for more than 30 years; we have a personal and family relation," Shaharyar told ESPNcricinfo. "I met him to enquire about his health. We also talked about the recent reforms I initiated - bringing new people at the helm of cricket administration, introducing a new culture of fitness, reviving the NCA [National Cricket Academy] by bringing Muddassar [Nazar]. [Prime Minister Sharif] asked me to continue for the good of cricket. He said there is no need for a change at the top right now. I accepted that and decided to see out my term, which ends next year in August."

There had been growing speculation that Shaharyar would step down and Sethi, who had been repeatedly removed and reinstated as PCB chairman over the course of a protracted legal battle, would step in.

Shaharyar recalled those tumultuous events from two years ago when he took control as he sought to explain the rationale behind completing his tenure.

"One needs to see the background of why I am in the PCB. The PCB was in a very difficult situation back in 2014 - there were a lot of court cases and it went up to the Supreme Court. One day there was one chairman and the next day there was another. It was a revolving door, which was bad for Pakistan cricket. Then Sethi approached me and persuaded me to consider coming in, as the Supreme Court would accept me. So I took on the role. I was the first-ever elected chairman of the PCB; previously, all chairmen were nominated.

"I took the job on the understanding that it would bring stability and leave the court cases behind. I had also served before [2003-2006] and the only idea was to do good for Pakistan cricket, to the best of my ability. Now, with the recent reforms and the short-term and long-term goals, the whole idea is to keep the stability and continuity and to move forward in a way that avoids any further wave of court cases. I feel that it is my responsibility to see through the reforms which have been set in motion. Najam Sethi is an old friend of mine and he promised me his full support. We joined hands to take the best measures for the betterment of Pakistan cricket."

Though the Supreme Court's intervention had prevented Sethi from continuing as PCB chairman in 2014, he was appointed head of the newly-created three-man Executive Committee, whose power was limited to making recommendations on various issues to the Pakistan board.

But in that capactiy, Sethi was able to oversee much of the day-to-day functioning of the PCB and grew to wield considerable influence. He is also the head of the PSL, which added to his status as a power centre.

All this led to the potential for friction at the top of the PCB, something that the outgoing coach Waqar Younis had alluded to after the World T20 earlier this year.

Terminating his contract three months short of completing his two-year stint, Waqar blasted the lack of administrative direction in Pakistan cricket, asserting that "two heads" were pulling the game in "two different directions".

Shaharyar downplayed such notions and emphasised he and Sethi agreed on most matters. However, he added that he was the ultimate decision-maker in the PCB.

"Mostly, we are 90% on the same page. I believe he has better experience in marketing and PSL, and I tend to take his advice in those areas only," Shaharyar said. "There are other areas in which I am better equipped to decide and I believe that he is in full agreement with me and there is no conflict at all. We act together and we confer for the good of Pakistan cricket. Since I am going to serve my remaining term with the nod of the PM, I am quite sure Sethi and others will embrace my ideas and my decisions.

"As chairman, I am responsible for everything, no matter what decision we take together. We talk about things. Sometimes he has a different point of view, but that doesn't matter - we sort that out as colleagues. But without my final signature nothing will happen - I am the chairman of the PCB with all executive powers. The media tend to see it in a more controversial way as a rivalry between us and it ends up being exaggerated."

Shaharyar is in England and is set to attend an ICC meeting on Monday. Along with Subhan Ahmad, chief operating officer of the PCB, he will raise some Pakistan-specific points, including a request that the ICC compensate the PCB for having to arrange their "home" fixtures outside the country.

Pakistan have not hosted an international game - barring a series in 2015 - since the attacks on a touring Sri Lankan team in Lahore in 2009. The UAE has become their new base, but at extra cost. "It is very clear that we are the only Test playing country that does not play at home," he said. "All our home fixtures have to be played in a third country, which is usually the UAE. As result, the nation is not only starved of cricket but we are losing out a lot of our money on renting offshore grounds in the UAE.

"We might be playing cricket away from home, but it is at some cost and we are losing out on many things. We are the only nation missing out on hosting ICC events and the cycle with no hosting has cost us a lot as well. So, I am going to ask the ICC that we be compensated for expenditure which we have to incur playing away. That will be invested at grassroots level, mainly on the development of cricket."