International Cricket Council 'Rewards' Pakistan With a Seat in its All-Powerful Executive Committee

Pakistan have been 'rewarded' with a spot in the all-important International Cricket Council Executive Committee. The Pakistan Cricket Board and the West Indies Cricket Board will be the fourth and fifth members on the newly formed committee that will not only govern world cricket but will determine share of revenue among ICC members.

Pakistan were among three cricket Boards that had opposed the ICC's revamp plans. While the 'rebel' Boards like South Africa and Sri Lanka finally fell in line, the PCB stuck to its rigid stand. Pakistan's admission in the Ex Co now looks like a reconciliatory move by the new ICC management chaired by suspended Indian cricket Board chief, N. Srinivasan.

The PCB has said its chairman Najam Sethi will be part of the ICC Ex-Co that was formed in Melbourne on Friday. The BCCI, Cricket Australia and the ECB hold permanent positions in the Ex-Co. (Read: India-Pakistan Bilateral Series Set to Resume From 2015)

The ICC formed the Ex-Co as part of the raft of changes mooted by the boards of India, England and Australia earlier this year. It would be "the sole recommendation committee on all financial (including ICC distributions and costs), constitutional, personnel (other than event personnel), anti-corruption, ethics, integrity, development and director nominations matters".

"Our representation on the Ex-Co would ensure that Pakistan remains involved in the important decision-making concerning the game of cricket," Sethi said in the release. "It also reflects that Pakistan now holds an important and undisputed position within the top echelon of the cricketing fraternity. The progress on ICC amendments in ICC's Anti-Corruption Code is also very encouraging and is yet another step closer to the early entry of Mohammad Amir in cricket".