If things had gone differently, Wasim Khan would now be the director of the England cricket team. Instead, the current Leicestershire chief executive will head-off to Lahore, Pakistan to take up the intriguing, yet daunting role of head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Khan, who is the only chief executive of a professional sporting club in this country from a BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) background, was interviewed for the vacant director of England cricket role, which has since been filled by Ashley Giles, but withdrew his name from the process when he was recruited by the PCB.
The 44-year-old, who played a key role in the England Cricket Board’s (ECB) South Asian Action Plan, which aims to get more people from this community playing the game at grassroots and professional level, is hoping his departure won’t signal the end of representation from the BAME community within boardrooms of sports organisations.
“Boardrooms have to be representative of the communities they serve and until we start doing that it is going to be hard to build trust,” Khan told the Daily Telegraph. “Until you are in positions of influence and making decisions, there is always going to be a bit of distance. We contribute far more as BAME communities than just playing the game. I am the only BAME CEO across any professional sporting club in this country. That tells you it is not just a cricketing issue.
“There is a certain level at the moment people reach but are then not given the opportunity. It is not about token gestures. It is about ability and meritocracy and making sure people are given the opportunities to progress.”
Khan will take up his position with the PCB in the New Year and he knows he has a massive job in getting international teams to tour the country again.
A terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team coach in 2009 has led to no team, apart from Sri Lanka in 2017, touring Pakistan. England last played in the country in 2005 with all other home Pakistan series’ being played in the UAE.
“With Pakistan having lots of ups and downs over the last 20 years, it is critical that we get a level of international cricket back in the country,” he said. “It may well be small steps getting county teams touring and visiting the fantastic national academy. Could we get an MCC team to tour? Or could we have a small number of international matches to start with rather than a whole series? Could teams play one or two one-day internationals on their way through to the United Arab Emirates?
“I appreciate countries have a lot of security issues but, with military-style security on offer, I am keen to understand where the gaps are so we can address them. It is interesting for me to get to the bottom of those things and see what I can influence and the conversations I need to have with other countries so we can understand what we need to do to ensure they can come back to Pakistan.”
“I don’t think you can underestimate how important cricket is to the fabric of the culture of a country like Pakistan,” Khan continues. “There is an embarrassment factor that cricket is being played in another country.”
With his links to England and his relationship with Tom Harrison, the ECB chief executive, and chairman, Colin Graves, Khan is hoping that with the backing of security experts, he can negotiate a deal for England to tour Pakistan again.
“It would be incredible if England played in Pakistan. I know Tom and Colin will be open to supporting us as much as they can but I also understand there are security issues. Players and administrators need to be won over, but if there was a chance of playing a couple of games in Pakistan, that would be huge. A few years ago people were talking about how important it is to have a strong West Indies. To have a vibrant Pakistan side is vital, too.”
