News Brief
Pakistan’s Champions Trophy 2025 Readiness Concerns Among Key Reasons For ICC CEO Geoff Allardice’s Exit: Report
Geoff Allardice
International Court Council (ICC) CEO Geoff Allardice has resigned just weeks ahead of the Champions Trophy, which is slated to be held in Pakistan.
According to an ICC board member cited in a PTI report, his inability to provide a "clear picture" of Pakistan’s unpreparedness as host was among several reasons for his departure.
Allardice, 57, became part of the ICC in 2012 as General Manager of Cricket after working as Cricket Operations Manager at Cricket Australia.
In November 2021, he was officially appointed as ICC CEO following an eight-month tenure as acting chief.
"It has been a privilege to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the International Cricket Council and I am incredibly proud of the results we have achieved, from enhancing the global reach of cricket to the commercial foundation put in place for ICC Members," Allardice said in a statement.
"I believe this is the right time for me to step down and pursue new challenges," he added.
While the ICC's official statement did not specify the reasons for Allardice’s departure, the PTI report cited a top source as saying that the development has been building up for a while.
"The ICC T20 World Cup in the US was big a flop in terms of playing conditions and also it exceeded budget, the auditing is still being done," the board member was quoted as saying by news agency PTI under anonymity.
"What broke the camel's back was Champions Trophy where as CEO, he was supposed to give a clear picture about readiness of Pakistan to host a tourney of such magnitude," he added.
A larger issue for the ICC is that venues in Karachi and Rawalpindi remain partially under construction or renovation.
Images from these locations have not provided a reassuring outlook.
With the tournament featuring the world’s top eight teams and returning for the first time since 2017, Pakistan’s ability to be fully prepared remains uncertain.
Despite the controversy, ICC Chair Jay Shah commended Allardice for his contributions to the sport.
"On behalf of the ICC Board, I want to sincerely thank Geoff for his leadership and commitment during his tenure as Chief Executive. His efforts have played a key role in advancing cricket globally," he said.
"We are truly grateful for his service and wish him all the very best in his future endeavors," the ICC chief said.
The ICC Board will now commence the search for Allardice's replacement.
