KARACHI: Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ehsan Mani on Sunday announced thestepping down of Cricket Committee head Wasim Khan from his post.

Three months back, the Cricket Committee had recommended the sacking offoreign head coach Mickey Arthur and the national team’s bowling andbatting coaches after Pakistan failed to reach the semifinals of the WorldCup.

At that time Wasim headed the committee which included Misbah-ul-Haq, whois now head coach-cum-chief selector, and fast bowling great Wasim Akram.

“At that time Wasim Khan took over as head of the committee as Mohsin Khanhad resigned as he himself was interested in some positions within thePCB,” Mani said in Lahore.

Mani said a change in the head of the Cricket Committee was necessary sinceWasim Khan was a full-time employee of the PCB, a chief executive, so hecould have exerted a lot of influence over the panel.

According to the PCB sources, it was decided that it would be best forWasim to step down as the head while remaining a part of the committee.

An independent chairman for the committee will be appointed, Mani said.

He said all the Board employees were accountable, so it was not right forWasim to head the Cricket Committee.

Meanwhile, in sweeping changes prompted by the Board’s CEO, former Testcricketer Mudassar Nazar will not be seeking an extension of his contractwhen it expires on May 31 next year.

Mudassar joined the PCB as Director – Academies on June 1, 2016 on athree-year contract, which was extended to another one year.

Mudassar said, “It has been an exciting and satisfying time with PCB asDirector – Academies. When I had joined from the ICC Academy in Dubai inJune 2016, I was clear in my mind that it will be a three-year period, butI extended to another year after being requested and convinced by mycolleagues.