Scott Weenink will step down as chief executive of New Zealand Cricket on 30 January 2026, ending a two-and-a-half-year tenure that has delivered silverware on the field yet disagreement off it.
The 47-year-old confirmed the move in a short statement on Friday, linking his decision to contrasting views within the boardroom. “After careful consideration, it has become clear that I hold a different view from several member associations, and the NZCPA, on the future priorities for NZC, including the long-term direction of the game and the best role for T20 cricket in New Zealand,” he said. “While I am saddened to leave after such a successful period, I do not wish to create ongoing instability by continuing without the support of some key stakeholders.”
Those stakeholders include a handful of provincial associations and the New Zealand Cricket Players’ Association, both of whom will help decide whether the proposed NZ20 league goes ahead in 2027. The competition, modelled loosely on the Caribbean Premier League, would replace the men’s and women’s Super Smash and be run by an independent operator under licence from NZC. Committee chair Don MacKinnon hopes for a formal green light “ideally by January 2026”, though that timeline now looks tight with a chief-executive search about to start.
Weenink’s spell in charge has coincided with a productive run for the national teams. Under his watch the White Ferns captured the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, while the Black Caps won a Test series in India and reached the 2025 Champions Trophy final. Even so, the domestic schedule – already cramped by tours, women’s cricket growth and rising franchise demands – remains a sticking point, and Weenink’s departure suggests no easy compromise.
“I depart with pride in the excellent progress made by NZC during my time as CEO, and confidence in the people in NZC who will carry the game forward,” he added. “I will return to the role of executive chair of Xceda Group, subject to regulatory approvals, in the new year. I will take with me great memories of my time with NZC.”
Board chair Diana Puketapu has thanked him for “steady leadership in a changing landscape”, pointing to healthy finances and a wider talent pool as part of his legacy. An interim boss is expected to be named early in 2026, giving NZC scant time to weigh up both a new executive direction and the commercial realities of a franchise T20 league.
With New Zealand’s international calendar locked in until mid-2027, the next chief executive inherits a full in-tray: reconciling domestic priorities, negotiating player deals and, crucially, deciding whether the NZ20 represents opportunity or overreach.
