NE SPORTS BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, AUG 27
BCCI secretary Jay Shah will take over as the next chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in December after he emerged as the sole nominee for the high-profile job, the global governing body for cricket announced on Tuesday.
Mr. Jay Shah’s statement on being elected unopposed as Independent Chair of International Cricket Council (ICC)
READ 👇https://t.co/5QE6TtAq4J @JayShah
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 27, 2024
The 35-year-old will succeed incumbent chairman Greg Barclay, who decided against running for the post for a third consecutive term of two years.
- Shah joins the likes of late Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, N Srinivasan and Shashank Manohar to become the fifth Indian to hold the top position at ICC
- I am committed to working closely with the ICC team and our member nations to further globalise cricket: Shah
Shah joined the likes of late Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, N Srinivasan and Shashank Manohar to become the fifth Indian to hold the top position at ICC.
“I am humbled by the nomination as the Chair of the International Cricket Council,” Shah stated in a release issued by the ICC.
The Ahmedabad-based administrator emphasised his commitment to expanding the global reach and popularity of cricket, especially with its upcoming inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
“I am committed to working closely with the ICC team and our member nations to further globalise cricket. Our goal is to make cricket more inclusive and popular than ever before,” he was quoted as saying in the release.
It is understood that one among the powerful SENA cricket boards (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia) was Shah’s proposer and another one of these countries seconded the nomination. And he remained the lone contender on the last day of nominations.
Shah will leave his current position as BCCI secretary, which he has held since 2019, in the Board’s Annual General Meeting to be held towards the end of the next month or in October.
Shah is currently the head of ICC’s most powerful sub-committee, the Finance and Commercial Affairs (F&CA), a role that he took over in 2022.
Veteran India spinner Harbhajan Singh asserted that Shah’s leadership will guide the world cricket to a new height
“Congratulations to Secretary @BCCI Shri @JayShah Ji on your election, unopposed, as Chairman @ICC. Confident that the ICC will benefit from your experience of handling Indian cricket. Your leadership will guide world cricket to a new height. My best wishes,” he added.
India’s white-ball vice-captain Shubman Gill also wrote: “Congratulations on being appointed chairman of the ICC, all the best Jay bhai!”
Gautam Ghambir, who was recently appointed as Team India’s head coach, posted a congratulatory message for Shah on his X account (formerly known as Twitter).
“Many congrats @JayShah bhai! I know world cricket will grow tremendously under your exceptional leadership!” Gambhir wrote.
