Jay Shah has officially commenced his tenure as the chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC). At the age of 36, Shah becomes the youngest ICC Chairman to ever hold the prestigious position after being selected unanimously by the board.
His leadership comes at a critical juncture for global cricket, with significant opportunities and challenges in expanding the sport’s reach and inclusively.
He is the fifth Indian to hold the position, following in the footsteps of influential figures like Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, Shashank Manohar and N Srinivasan.
Shah’s selection as chairman was unanimous by the ICC‘s Board of Directors, and he replaces Greg Barclay, the New Zealand lawyer, who decided not to seek a third consecutive term.
Shah, son of India’s Home Minister Amit Shah will be taking over by the time of Champions Trophy stance. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has agreed to a ‘Hybrid Model’ where India’s matches will be played in Dubai.
A new chapter of global cricket begins today with Jay Shah starting his tenure as ICC Chair.
Details: https://t.co/y8RKJEvXvl pic.twitter.com/Fse4qrRS7a
— ICC (@ICC) December 1, 2024
However, the PCB has insisted that Pakistan should receive the same arrangment for all ICC event hosted by India through 2031.
With a less than three months untill the start the tournament’s scheduled start, Shah will need to work closely with PCB and BCCI to find an acceptable solution as India has already refused to travel to Pakistan due to government concerns.
Although Shah refrained from commenting directly on Champions Trophy, he shared his vision for his tenure. One of his priorties is taking over the responsibilities in cricket’s inclusion in the LA28 Olympics to expand the sport’s global reach.
“This is an exciting time for the sport as we prepare for LA28 and work to make cricket more inclusive and engaging for fans worldwide,” Shah said.
“We are at a critical juncture with the coexistence of multiple formats and the need to accelerate the growth of the women’s game.”
“Cricket has immense global potential, and I look forward to working closely with the ICC team and Member countries to seize these opportunities and elevate the sport.”
Shah also expressed his gratitude to Greg Barclay for his leadership during the past four years, acknowledging the milestone achieved under his tenure.
During his time as BCCI secretary, Shah pushed for increased domestic match fees, introduced a test cricket incentive bonus and championed the creation of the women’s premier league, along with equal match fees for the men’s and women’s national teams.
While it remains unclear who will replace Shah as the BCCI secretary, India will likely to represent on the ICC Board by either current president Roger Binny or VC Rajiv Shukla.
If Binny becomes the ICC director for India, Shukla could serce as the alternate director. If shulka is promoted, Arun Dhamal is among the names being considered as his co-representative, with BCCI treasurer Ashish Shelar and Joint secretary Devajit Lon Saikia also in the discussion for the secretary’s post.
