Ramiz Raja forgets he's Pakistan Cricket's chief, 'breaks news' of ECB chief stepping down

In a bizarre goof-up, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Ramiz Raja on Thursday peddled fake news and alleged that the England & Wales Cricket Board Chief had resigned from his post. As soon as Ramiz Raja peddled the fake news of ECB's Chief resignation, netizens started grilling the PCB boss. As a result, Ramiz Raja deleted his 'erroneously' tweet and also apologized for the same.   

ECB chairman Ian Watmore to step down

England and Wales Cricket Board on Thursday informed that chairman Ian Watmore would step down with immediate effect and that he has reached a mutual agreement with the Board to stand down following the end of the domestic season and after helping to steer the game through the challenges of COVID over the past year.

Ian Watmore commented: "It is with regret that I step down as Chair of the ECB, but I do so in mindfulness of my own wellbeing and that of the game which I love. I was appointed to the post in a pre-pandemic era, but Covid has meant the role and its demands on time are dramatically different to all our original expectations, which has taken a personal toll on me. Given this, the Board and I feel the ECB will be better served by a new Chair to take it forward post pandemic. Leaving now, at the end of the season, gives the Board time to find a new Chair to support cricket through the challenges of the 2022 season and beyond.

“On a personal level, I also retired last month after five years at the Civil Service Commission and recently became a grandfather. I would now like to retire completely from work and enjoy our great game as a spectator."

It is pertinent to mention here that the ECB had pulled out of Pakistan vs England series after New Zealand abandoned the series citing security threats. Following that, Ramiz Raja expressed his anger and termed their pulling out of the series as 'western block unity'. 

“I am severely disappointed in England's withdrawal but it was expected because this western bloc gets united unfortunately and tries to back each other. There was a sense of anger because first New Zealand got away without sharing information about the threat they were facing. This (England) decision was expected but this is a lesson for us because we go out of our way to accommodate and pamper these sides when they visit," Ramiz Raja had said in a video message.

Pakistan were scheduled to play 7 T20Is before their World Cup campaign opener against India on October 24 but will now go into the marqee tournament without any match practice.

Fans react to Ramiz Raja's goof-up

(Image: Twitter/@TheRealPCBMedia)