The BCCI’s outgoing secretary, Jay Shah, on Sunday took charge as the chairman of the International Cricket Council, becoming the fifth Indian to head the global body.
“I am honoured to take on the role of ICC chair and grateful for the support and trust of the ICC directors and member boards,” Shah said in a statement on his first day in the role.
The 36-year-old Shah, who has been the BCCI secretary for the last five years, was the unanimous choice of ICC’s Board of Directors and replaced New Zealand attorney Greg Barclay.
He also served as the president of the Asian Cricket Council and as chair of the ICC’s finance and commercial affairs committee.
Before Shah, businessman late Jagmohan Dalmiya, politician Sharad Pawar, lawyer Shashank Manohar and industrialist N Srinivasan had all headed the world cricket body.
Shah, the son of India’s Home Minister Amit Shah, will have his task cut out as the ICC needs to find an acceptable solution to implement the ‘Hybrid Model’ for the Champions Trophy originally scheduled in Pakistan.
The tournament is scheduled to begin on February 19 and the fixtures haven’t been announced yet following the BCCI’s refusal to send the Indian team to play in Pakistan, citing government advice.
In his first statement as ICC Chair, Shah outlined his priorities for his term, including leveraging the sport’s inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games as a pivotal opportunity as well as further accelerating the growth of the women’s game.
“This is an exciting time for the sport as we prepare for the LA28 Olympic Games and work to make cricket more inclusive and engaging for fans worldwide,” he said.
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He added, “Cricket holds immense potential globally, and I look forward to working closely with the ICC team and Member countries to seize these opportunities and take the sport to new heights.”
Shah started his journey in 2009 with the Gujarat Cricket Association. During his tenure, he oversaw the development of the world’s largest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.
