New Delhi: Jay Shah was elected unopposed as the new chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday, August 27. Shah will succeed New Zealand’s Greg Barclay and assume the prestigious role on December 1, 2024. Shah was expected to be elected unopposed with the likes of Australia and England supporting his candidature for the top post.
Shah will step down from his current role as the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to take over as the new chairman of the world body of cricket. Shah was the sole nominee for the ICC chairman post after Barclay confirmed that he wouldn’t seek a third term after his current tenure ends on November 30 this year.
August 27 was the last date for the ICC Directors to apply for the chairman’s post. Shah was confirmed as the successor to Barclay after presenting his nomination as the sole contender. Shah enjoyed goodwill among all directors considering BCCI’s mighty influence in the international body and was also serving as the chairman of the ICC’s Finance and Commercial Affairs sub-committee.
Shah, who is the son of India’s Home Minister Amit Shah, began his journey in cricket administration in 2009 when he was appointed as an executive member of the Central Board of Cricket, Ahmedabad. He became the joint secretary of the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) in 2013. Shah took over as BCCI secretary in 2019 and was re-elected to the top post in 2022. He is also serving as the current chairman of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
Jay Shah – Youngest ICC chairman
Shah has become the youngest to hold the ICC chair at the age of 35. He is only the fifth Indian after Jagmohan Dalmiya, N Srinivasan, Sharad Pawar and Shashank Manohar to head the International Cricket Council. Shah was always the favourite to take over the reins from Barclay once it was clear that the New Zealander would not seek a third term.
On his unopposed election as the new chairman of the ICC, Shah asserted his commitment to improving cricket’s global outreach and helping the game reach new corners of the world. Shah said he was honoured to be taking over the prestigious post and said his goal was to make cricket more inclusive and popular as a sport.
“I am humbled by the nomination as the Chair of the International Cricket Council,” Shah said, reacting to his appointment as ICC chief.
“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.
Who will replace Jay Shah as BCCI secretary?
With Shah elected as the new ICC president, Delhi & Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) president Arun Jaitley is reportedly set to replace him as the new BCCI secretary. Jaitley, a lawyer by profession, is the son of late BJP leader Arun Jaitley. He took as the new president of the DDCA unopposed last year and is reportedly leading the race to replace Shah at BCCI.
Jay Shah has been elected unooposed as the new chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC). He is the youngest ICC chairman at the age of 35. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
