A key figure of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), its managing director Salman Sarwar Butt, has stepped down from his post and will be replaced by the director general PCB Javed Miandad in the interim. The inaugural season of the Twenty20 tournament was indefinitely postponed because of logistical issues.
Butt, a banker by profession, was instrumental in setting up Pakistan's domestic T20 competition, whose first edition in 2005 was sponsored by his then employer, ABN-AMRO Bank. He is an influential figure on the Pakistan corporate circuit and was involved in setting up the PSL since 2011.
"Before joining, I had intimated the PCB of my plans and commitments beyond April 2013, which would prevent me from working on future editions of PSL," Butt said in a statement. "As the league is now most likely to be held after April, I will not be available to work further on this first edition. We have therefore mutually agreed that it would make sense to appoint a successor sooner rather than later.
"I would naturally be happy to provide all possible assistance to PCB and PSL even if I am not officially associated with the league, and would remain an ardent ambassador of PSL."
The PSL was supposed to be held between March 26 and April 7 in Pakistan but was delayed to give investors more time to submit bids and also to avoid scheduling conflicts with other cricket tournaments. It was also going to clash with the pre-poll campaigns ahead of general elections, expected to be held in May. The PCB is working on another slot for the league and no precise timeframe has been indicated.
"A committee is working full time to find available and appropriate dates and we are hopeful that the process for the sale of various rights will restart soon," said Butt. "We are constantly in touch with all parties who have shown interest in our League and we hope to announce new dates soon."
Courtesy: Espncricinfo
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