Senior official of Pakistan Super League steps down after postponement of Twenty20 event

By Rizwan Ali

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A senior official of the Pakistan Super League quit on Wednesday following the indefinite postponement of the country’s first professional Twenty20 event last week.

Salman Sarwar Butt stepped down as managing director with immediate effect, saying he had previously intimated to the Pakistan Cricket Board that he would be unable to work with the PSL beyond April.

“As the league is now most likely to be held after April, I will not be available to work further on this first edition,” Butt said in a statement. “This has been a difficult decision to make, but my personal and professional commitments would preclude me from carrying on.”

The PSL was supposed to be played from March 26 to April 6, but the PCB postponed it last Friday after complaints from investors over tight bidding deadlines and from players about scheduling conflicts.

Butt said the sale process of various rights will start again soon and that a committee is working fulltime to find appropriate dates for the event.

The PCB has appointed director general Javed Miandad as acting managing director of PSL. Miandad, who has also captained and coached the national team, said he is happy to lead the PSL until a Butt’s successor is appointed.

“I am pleased to lead the team until we appoint a new MD on a permanent basis to take the PSL forward,” Miandad said. “The PSL team recently shifted into new offices and is working with great enthusiasm on all aspects of the league.”

The PCB has already hired Haroon Lorgat, a former International Cricket Council chief executive, as an adviser to the PSL.

Although the PSL is yet to reveal any high-profile players for the event, it says at least 80 foreign cricketers have signed and will be auctioned for the five city-based teams.

Pakistan has not hosted a test-playing nation since gunmen attacked the Sri Lanka team bus convoy in Lahore four years ago, killing six police officials and a van driver while injuring several players. Security reservations have led to even lowly ranked Bangladesh twice postponing its short tours to Pakistan in the past 10 months.

The Federation of International Cricketers’ Association has advised its members not to participate in the PSL due to security concerns. The cricket boards of South Africa and Australia have also reportedly banned its players from competing.

13:21ET 13-02-13