The governing body said in a press release that Jay Shah of India began his term as head of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday, succeeding Greg Barclay of New Zealand.
The 35-year-old Shah is the youngest ICC chairman ever. He is the son of Amit Shah, the home minister under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
After Barclay declined to run for a third term, Shah—who is also the head of the Asian Cricket Council—was the only contender for the position.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) declared Shah’s term as a “new chapter of global cricket” in a news release.
The press release praised the directors and member boards for their support and trust, and quoted the influential Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket, who said he was “honoured” to be taking on the post of ICC chair.
“Shah was quoted in the news release as saying, “As we prepare for the LA28 Olympic Games, we are working to make cricket more inclusive and popular than ever before. This is an exciting time for the sport.”
In terms of the “coexistence of multiple formats and accelerating the growth of the women’s game,” Shah claimed that cricket was at a “critical juncture.”
“Cricket has enormous potential on a global scale, with a wealth of opportunities to interact with both new and existing fans while providing the best platforms and resources for our cricket players worldwide,” Shah stated.
In addition to thanking Barclay for his “leadership in the role for the past four years and the milestones achieved during that period,” he expressed his excitement about “sustainably expanding the game’s reach and evolution on the global stage” through strong collaboration with the team and member nations.
The appointment was made because India and Pakistan couldn’t agree on a location for the ICC Champions Trophy, which was supposed to be held in Pakistan.
Despite assurances from all member boards regarding the security arrangements and the tentative match schedule, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has refused to send its team to Pakistan, citing political and security concerns. This has led to a dispute surrounding the tournament, which is set to take place in Pakistan from February 19 to March 9.
Because of the PCB and BCCI’s unyielding positions, the ICC’s online meeting on Friday to resolve the matter and announce the match schedule just lasted 15 minutes.
