Usman Waheed, the Director of Marketing for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has resigned from his position, reported 24NewsHD TV channel citing sources on Saturday.
The resignation comes after Waheed reportedly failed to meet several key objectives related to the upcoming Champions Events, which are being organised by the PCB for the first time across all three formats of the game.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi had placed significant emphasis on these Champions Events, envisioning them as the new face of domestic cricket in Pakistan. However, Waheed's inability to achieve the targets set by Naqvi, particularly in securing local and international rights and sponsorships, has led to his departure.
The PCB faced difficulties and some embarrassment in the process of selling these rights, which further compounded the challenges leading to Waheed's resignation. Despite efforts, the sponsorship deals, bid processes, and other objectives fell short of expectations, prompting Waheed to step down from his role.
This development comes at a critical time for the PCB as it prepares for the high-profile Champions Events, which aim to bring a new level of competition and visibility to domestic cricket in Pakistan.
It must be noted the Champions One-Day Cup, Champions T20 Cup and Champions First-Class Cup will join the National T20 Cup, Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (regional first-class tournament), President’s Trophy (departmental first-class tournament), President’s Cup (departmental 50-over event), and Pakistan Super League 2025 in the 2024-25 domestic cricket season, expected to run from September 1, 2024 to August 5, 2025.