BCCI Secretary Jay Shah Elected Unopposed As ICC Chairman, Set To Take Charge On 1 December

BCCI secretary Jay Shah has been elected unopposed as the Independent Chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

He will take charge as ICC chairman on 1 December 2024.

On 20 August, the cricket body had announced that current ICC Chair Greg Barclay would not seek a third term and would step down at the conclusion of his tenure in November.

Shah, who was the sole nominee for the chairmanship, emphasised his commitment to expanding the global reach and popularity of cricket, especially with its upcoming inclusion in the LA 2028 Olympics, the cricket body said in a release.

“I am humbled by the nomination as the Chair of the International Cricket Council,” Shah stated.

“I am committed to working closely with the ICC team and our member nations to further globalize cricket. We stand at a critical juncture where it is increasingly important to balance the coexistence of multiple formats, promote the adoption of advanced technologies, and introduce our marquee events to new global markets. Our goal is to make cricket more inclusive and popular than ever before," he added.

“While we will build on the valuable lessons learned, we must also embrace fresh thinking and innovation to elevate the love for cricket worldwide. The inclusion of our sport in the Olympics at LA 2028 represents a significant inflection point for the growth of cricket, and I am confident that it will drive the sport forward in unprecedented ways," Shah said.

Following the announcement, India head coach Gautam Gambhir and BCCI president Roger Binny were among those who congratulated Shah.

Binny, the 1983 World Cup winner, rated Shah as a "strong pillar" of BCCI.

"I take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Jay Shah on his appointment as the independent chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC). He has been a strong pillar as the BCCI Honorary Secretary and the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC)," Binny said.

Gambhir, who has taken over as head coach from Rahul Dravid, said: "Many congrats @JayShah bhai! I know world cricket will grow tremendously under your exceptional leadership!"

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