Stepping up for cricket on two fronts, new Oman Cricket Board Chairman Pankaj Khimji is also set to assume the role of Vice President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
Pankaj stepped into the role as Chairman earlier this week, following the passing of his father Kanaksi Khimji, who was the founding Chairman of the Oman Cricket Board in 1979.
Revered the world over for his passion and services to cricket, the pioneering Kanaksi’s final achievement of progress came in January of this year, when the ICC gave accreditation for the Ministry Turf 1 ground at Oman’s Al Amerat Cricket Stadium.
“The credit must go to (Kanaksi) and the Board of Directors for guiding us through thick and thin all these years. This honour and achievement is a realization of our chairman’s dream” Duleep Mendis, Chief Development Officer at Oman Cricket and coach of national team, expressed back at the start of the year.
Continuing the work of his late father, who was presented the ICC Lifetime Service Award in 2011, Pankaj will begin his continental role from the 2021-2022 AGM, to be held before the end of June.
Through a number of positions, Pankaj has been integral in Oman’s ascension in his own right, most notably as a director and the official representative for Oman at ICC meetings. As Chef de Mission of the national team, Pankaj has also assisted the side on a number of tours around the world.
A Building Construction Engineer by qualification, the technocrat has worked in business on micro and macro levels, with extensive experience in advisory roles. On his appointment for the Asian Cricket Council, Madhursinh Jesrani, Oman Cricket Board’s Secretary, highlighted Pankaj’s work.
“Pankaj has been an invaluable member of Oman Cricket throughout his tenure with Oman. His experience and knowledge in cricket administration will bring great strength to the development of Cricket in Asia.”
The Asian Cricket Council encompasses 24 countries, and includes the five Full Members in the region. Pankaj has previously sat as an Executive Board Member on the ACC, and will work under President Jay Shah.
Oman were finalists at 2019’s WCL2 to achieve One Day International status, before qualifying for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the 2019 Qualifier.
In other shuffles domestically, Younis Sakhi Mahmood Al Balushi, Alkesh Joshi and Paul Sheridan have also been inducted into Oman Cricket’s Board of Directors.
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