Media mogul and politician Mohsin Naqvi is the new Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chair after a rocky few months for the fourth most-valuable cricket governing body worldwide. Naqvi takes up this role to steer Pakistan towards greater heights in the sport. He had this to say on the PCB website after accepting the new role:
“I am deeply honoured and humbled to have been unanimously elected as the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board. I am thankful for the trust and confidence reposed in me. Also, I am fully committed to upgrading the standard of the game in the country and bringing professionalism in the administration of cricket in Pakistan.”
Fans will only hope the former caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab takes his responsibilities seriously towards bringing Pakistan cricket glory on the regional and world stage. Let’s explore every vital detail about the PCB’s latest chairman and everything else you need to know about the media tycoon, who else wanted the role, and much more.
Mohsin Naqvi Bio
| Personal Information | |
| Full Name | Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi |
| Date of Birth | October 28, 1978 |
| Place of Birth | Lahore, Pakistan |
| Education | Government College University Lahore (GCUL) |
| Media studies (United States) | |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Career Highlights | |
| Media | Owner and Chairman of City Media Group |
| Founded City Media Group in 2009 | |
| Launched City42 as the group’s first channel | |
| Politics | Became Chief Minister of Punjab on January 22, 2023 |
| Prior to appointment, held no political office |
Does Mohsin Naqvi Have Any Experience in Pakistan Cricket Administration?
Mohsin Naqvi is currently inexperienced in any form of cricket administration. He is well-known for his expertise as a media man before delving into politics, but doesn’t have any skillset to suggest he’s a star administrator just yet.
Who Were the Top Contenders for PCB Chairman Before Mohsin Naqvi Got the Position?
Surprisingly, there were two other top names – Najam Sethi and Rashid Latif – in the conversation for a new PCB chairman. Naqvi was never the top guy for this role according to comments from analysts coupled with major fan expectations.
Najam Sethi
Sethi was once PCB chairman and fans were expecting him to get the job to steady Pakistan cricket’s ship again. However, the ex-chair confirmed that he would not be open to such a role shortly before Naqvi’s appointment. Sethi is in his mid-70s and may not possess the will to take up one of Pakistan’s most-demanding jobs.
Rashid Latif
Latif is one of Pakistan’s most-celebrated cricketers and featured in over 200 Tests and ODIs combined for the Men in Green throughout his career. He was tipped to snatch the PCB chairmanship role ahead of Najam Sethi owing to his experience as a cricketer and marginally younger age than the former chair.
Latif holds the ‘smallest six’ world record in history after scoring a rare infield strike to snatch maximum runs per swing. However, he was also an accomplished cricketer for the Falcons, racking up over 3,000 runs throughout his time as a Pakistani cricketer.
His concern for game development in Pakistan and other issues put him ahead of other candidates heading into the selection of a new PCB chief. However, it is not to be for Latif right now, as he will have to keep waiting for another swing at the cricket board chairmanship.
Who Was the Last Full-Time PCB Chairman Before Mohsin Naqvi?
Ramiz Raja was the last PCB chairman to execute duties in his role as a full-time executive before Mohsin Naqvi. Raza was booted out of the chairmanship role one year after his appointment, leading many commentators to suggest a political link to his dismissal. Raza left his job as PCB chair in 2022 before Najam Sethi’s interim occupation of the role in 2023. Sethi would also vacate the position shortly after, leaving it available for Zaka Ashraf.
What Job Does Naqvi Have on His Hands?
As PCB chairperson, Naqvi faces the daunting task of lifting the spirits of Pakistan’s senior team. The Falcons went through a horrid ICC ODI Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2023 in India; failing to beat their archrivals before crashing out of the competition. The hours and days after that elimination saw a rollercoaster of events occur throughout PCB’s hierarchy.
Players like Babar Azam also left their leadership role in the team following a dismal 2023 campaign that saw Pakistan lose the Asian Cup and ICC ODI World Cup in unflattering fashion.
Fans will hope Naqvi has the skills needed to turn Men in Green fortunes around on the pitch towards becoming an impressive outfit in ODIs and other formats again.
