BCCI secretary Jay Shah was elected as the new chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) unopposed, the apex body confirmed on Tuesday.
Along with the ICC chairman's role, Shah also held Chair of the Asian Cricket Council since January 2021 and has been BCCI's secretary since October 2019.
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Shah reportedly had strong backing from Cricket Australia, the England and Wales Cricket Board, and several other members of the cricketing community.
After being appointed as the chief of the ICC, Shah told the official website,
"I am humbled by the nomination as the Chair of the International Cricket Council. 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."
"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 inflexion point for the growth of cricket, and I am confident that it will drive the sport forward in unprecedented ways."
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Champions Trophy 2025 will be the first ICC competition to be conducted under Jay Shah's chairmanship
Jay Shah will formally take over the reins from incumbent ICC chairman Greg Barclay on December 1. Shah will become the fifth Indian to occupy prestigious in cricket's apex body.
But there will be hardly any time for Shah to relax as in less than three months' time, the ICC Champions Trophy will be conducted, the first major challenge under the chairmanship of the Indian administrator.
The Champions Trophy, as of now, is scheduled to happen in Pakistan, however, India's participation in the competition is still under doubt.
The Men in Blue have not visited their neighbouring country in over a decade's time due to the political climate in the South Asian region and it is unlikely the Indian Union Government will permit the team to visit Pakistan next year.
Shah has been an advocate of the hybrid-model of conducting competitions and it was under his chairmanship in the Asian Cricket Council that the 2023 Asia Cup was conducted in such a manner where Sri Lanka and Pakistan jointly hosted the competition.
There is a strong possibility that Shah would recommend organising the Champions Trophy in Pakistan and UAE with Pakistan playing all their matches at their home except for the India clash which will be held in UAE.
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