Jay Shah from India was on Tuesday unanimously elected as the next Independent Chair of the International Cricket Council, ICC replacing Greg Barclay in December. Shah was appointed as the Honorary Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in October 2019 and then Chair of the Asian Cricket Council from January 2021. He will assume office on December 1, 2024. He, in turn, was returned unopposed to the post after the incumbent Barclay announced that he would not seek a third term.
Since his election, Shah has made his views known on how cricket should be more global, especially in the expected inclusion of the sport in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics-a development which he looks at as a milestone that is strategic to the sport.
"I am honored to have been appointed as the Chair of the International Cricket Council," Shah said in a statement.
I am committed to working very closely with the ICC staff and our members to take cricket to the next level of globalization. We are at an exciting time when we need to find the right balance between different formats, Next-Generation technologies, and take our premiere events to markets across the world. The aim is to make cricket more inclusive and popular than ever before.
We will look to build on the experiences of the past but also welcome new ideas and innovation in the endeavour to make cricket more relatable globally. The Olympic inclusion for our sport in the Los Angeles Games in 2028 is a game-changer, and I'm assured it shall elevate our sport into new and thrilling heights," said Shah, who will turn 36 next month.
Shah's appointment is a new chapter to the ICC concerning intentions to grow the game's powers and stand across the world. He shall be the fifth Indian ever to hold a top position in the International Cricket Council.
In the past, N. Srinivasan was the ICC Chairman in 2014-15 and Shashank Manohar between 2016-2020, while Jagmohan Dalmiya had served as ICC President between 1997-2000 and Sharad Pawar between 2010-2012.
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