ISLAMABAD - Chaudhry Zaka Ashraf has replaced Ijaz Butt as new Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman on Tuesday. PCBs Patron-in-Chief President Asif Ali Zardari has appointed Zaka as new PCB chief ending the most controversial and turbulent era of Ijaz whose tenure was over on October 8 and was advised to continue till the appointment of the new chairman. Zaka is the president of Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) and also is among the close circle of President Zardari. He is also CEO of Ashraf Group of Industries and is member of ruling Pakistan Peoples Partys Central Executive Committee (CEC). He has won the most prized slot of PCB chairman by outwitting some very strong candidates including Dr Asghar Ali Shah, who is also the advisor to Sindh Chief Minister on Sports and former cricket maestro Zaheer Abbass. The sources also revealed that it was a very close call as some PPP big wigs from Sindh wanted the chairmanship to be given to their province. But the table turned at the final moment when a close aide of presidency suddenly put forward the name of Zaka and after some consideration the President finally approved his name as the PCB chairman. When this scribe contacted Fartullah Babar, official spokesman of President Zardari to seek his comments in this regard, he confirmed the appointment of Zaka as PCB chairman and said: The President has made this appointment and the notification in this regard will be issued very soon. It is worth-mentioning here that Zaka has neither any cricketing background nor any experience what so ever of running the cricket affairs. It was expected the President will nominate someone who has the knowledge of running such high profile office but to the utter disappointment of millions of cricket mad fans the President has once again given the PCB chairmanship to his close aide rather than going with the merit.