LAHORE: Wasim Bari, the newly-appointed Chief Operating Officer of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), said on Monday that the main challenge ahead of him is to promote and develop the game in the country.
‘I take the promotion of the game in the country as a challenge for which I shall work with all the stakeholders like local associations, departments affiliated with the PCB,’ Bari, a former Test captain, said.
‘I’ll be open to the media too for the same purpose [of the game’s promotion] to get their feedback.’
Bari has been working as acting COO after the PCB Governing Board sacked another Test cricketer Salim Altaf over the wishes of the Chairman Ijaz Butt on Aug 31.
‘The Governing Board, through resolution by a circulation, has appointed Wasim Bari as Chief Operating Officer of the PCB with immediate effect,’ a press release, of the PCB issued here on Monday, stated.
Asked if reviving international cricket in Pakistan was not a challenge for him, Bari admitted it was another one for which the government had to be involved, but added that it was not an overnight job.
‘A lot of effort is required to bring international cricket back to Pakistan and the PCB will try at least to arrange a Twenty20 International match [involving Pakistan and any another cricket-playing nation] to break the ice,’ Bari, a veteran of 81 Tests and 51 one-dayers, stated.
On his plans to attract sponsors for domestic cricket, Bari hoped recently appointed general manager marketing of the PCB Tariq Hakeem, having vast experience in the field, would manage better marketing for domestic game.
Bari further said he would also use his marketing experience to arrange funds for boosting local cricket.
The former wicket-keeper, known for his agility during his heyday behind the wickets, said a general manager media would also be selected in the next couple of days.
The post has been lying vacant after Asif Sohail resigned as the director media some three months ago.
Meanwhile, Bari, who has come closer to Ijaz after being appointed as Director Human Resources, remains the lone board official working under the PCB chief’s command.
After assuming the charge as PCB chairman in October last year, Ijaz came to the office with close associates Salim Altaf and Asif Sohail. Then he named Abdul Qadir as the chief selector and another Test cricketer Aamir Sohail as the Director NCA.
However, all have left the board one after other, lack of required powers being the main grievance.
But Bari, a soft spoken person, also performed as acting chief selector (in place of Qadir) and COO (in place of Salim), besides holding the post of Director Human Resources.
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